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SEAL AM) SALMON FISHERIES

A^'B

GENERAL RESOURCES

OF

ALASKA.

IN FOUR volum:es.

VOLUME II.

WASHINGTON:

GOVEKNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
18 9 8.

/]iav^

REPORTS ON SEAL AND SALMON FISHERIES BY OFFICERS OF THE TREASURY

DEPARTMENT, AND CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE STATE AND

TREASURY DEPARTMENTS ON THE BERING SEA QUESTION

FROM JANUARY 1, 1895, TO JUNE 30, 1896,

WITH

COMMENTS ON THAT PORTION THEREOF WHICH RELATES
TO PELAGIC SEALING

BY

DAVID STARR JORDAN.

Ill

TABLE OF OOl^^TETsTTS.

Page.
Report of Joseph Murray, special agent, Treasury Department, for the year

1894 -■ ■-.-. 3

Past and future of the fur seal 276

Pelagic sealing in Bering Sea — correspondence of the Treasury with other

Departments upon the subject 315

SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA.

Report for 1892, by Max Pracht, special agent, Treasury Department 385

I'ondensation of report for 1893 of Paul 8. Luttrell, special agent. Treasury

Department 397

Report for 1894, by Joseph Mui-ray, special agent, Treasury Department 404

Report for 1895, by Joseph Murray, special agent, Treasury Department 436

Appendix, by David Starr Jordan and George Archibald Clark 461

[Continuation of Senate Document No. 137 Part I, 54th Congress, 1st Session.]

REPORT

ON

THE SEAL ISLANDS OF ALASKA,

BY

Special Treasury Agoit,

FOR

THE YE^R 1894

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 1

REPORT OF JOSEPH MURRAY, SPECIAL TREASURY AGENT,

FOR THE YEAR 1894.

Office of Special Agent,

Treasury Department,
Washington, B. C, December 30, 1894.

Sir: I Lave the honor to report that, in compliance with Department
instructions dated June 12, 1894, I went to the seal islands of Alaska
and inspected the fur-seal rookeries, noting particularly the numbers
and present condition of the seals in comparison with what they were
every year since I first saw them in 1889.

I afterwards sailed along the American coast from Unalaska to San
Francisco, calling at every important settlement on the way; inspecting
every salmon stream and cannery on the route; making diligent inquiry
into the condition of the native inhabitants of Alaska; the wants and
desires of the white settlers who are busy developing the natural re-
sources of the Territory, and noting the views of the people generally
on all that appertains to the present and future prosperity of the new
country.

On July 10, 1 left San Francisco on board the U. S. revenue cutter
Bush, Capt. 0. L. Hooper commanding, and arrived on the 15th at Port
Townsend, where we were afterwards joined by Hon. C. S. Hamlin,
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, who accompanied us to the seal
islands and back as far as Vancouver City, British Columbia.

We sailed on board the Hush from Port Townsend July 23 and
arrived at the seal islands August 3, first touching at St. George as id
sailing along the coast, inspecting all the rookeries on that island
except Zapadnie, and then sailed over to St. Paul Island, where we
landed in a dense fog at 6 o'clock p. m.

The seal islands, commonly called the Pribilof group, consist of four
distinct islands in Bering Sea, situated between 55° and 57° north
latitude, and about 170° west longitude irom Greenwich. They are
about 200 miles west from the nearest point on the mainland of Alaska,
200 miles north of the Aleutian chain, and 200 miles south of St. Mat-
thews Island, or, in other words, they are about 200 miles away from
any other land.

The seal islands are nearly 2,300 miles from San Francisco, and about
1,600 miles, as the ship sails, directly west from Sitka.

They are known, respectively, as St. Paul, St. George, Otter, and
Walrus islands.

Otter and Walrus are small and of no importance, and as the seals
do not haul out at x>resent on either of them regularly, and as tliey are
not included in the lease, it will not be necessary to refer to them again. '

St. Paul, the larger of the two principal islands, is long, low, and
narrow, its extreme length and breadth being 12 and 6 miles, respec-
tively, and its total area being about 36 square miles. Around the
greater part of the island runs a long, low, sandy beach, easy of access,
where the seals haul out without difficulty, and where they were to be

1 In 1894 about 1,000 seals hauled out on Otter Island.

4 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

found for a century in greater numbers than on any otlier spot on the
earth.

St. George Island has an area of about 27 square miles, and its sides
rise out of the water so abru^jtly and so steep that there are only a few
places around the whole coast upon which anything coming out of the
sea can find a footing, and consequently the number of seals landing
must of necessity be limited, which accounts, 1 think, for the great dif-
ference in the numbers to be found on the two islands.

CLIMATE.

The islands are situated in the path of the Japan current, which, on
meeting the icy waters of the north at this point, brings forth the dense
summer fogs for which Bering Sea is so justly famous, and in which the
islands are enveloped from May to September. Owiug to difference of
altitude, St. George Island being much higher than St. Paul, there is a
very marked difference in the amount of rainfall on each — fully five
times the volume falling on St. George, although the islands are only
40 miles apart.

The average temperature for the year is about 35°, ranging from 35°
to 60° in the summer, and from zero to 15° below in winter.

Both of the islands are of volcanic origin, and there is not a sign of
tree, shrub, or vine on either of them. They are covered in season with
moss, grass, and wild flowers, but it is imi^ossible to raise anything by
cultivation, for, no matter how rich the soil may be, there is not enough
sunshine to ripen the crop. Thick fog, leaden sky, drizzly rain, mist,
and moisture are the general conditions ruling there, and during a con-
tinuous residence of thirty months — fifteen on each island — I saw only
six wholly clear, sunshiny days.

The surface of the highlands on St. George is covered with loose and
broken rock — rock broken into all shapes and sizes, from that of a pebble
to boulders weighing many tons, and thrown together into every imag-
inable position except a level one.

On St. Paul the winds of centuries have heaped the sands of the sea-
shore into dunes of considerable height and magnitude, and filled up
many cavities and rough spots, but, excepting a slight covering of most
nutritious reindeer moss, the greater part of the surface of St. George
remains to-day as it came from the hands of the Creator.

And yet nature finds a use for those rugged and unshapely rocks, for
under and between them, where the prowling, crafty fox can not pene-
trate, millions of sea birds build their nests, and lay their eggs, and
rear their young. I use the word millions advisedly, and I believe I
might say billions, and yet be within the bounds of trutb.

One of the most beautiful sights to be seen in this otherwise desolate
region is the return of the birds from the sea to their nests during the
hatching season, when toward evening they fill the air and darken the
sun for hours in their flight with their countless numbers.

Here, too, on St. George Island the famous blue fox finds a perma-
nent home, and grows to perfection, for here he has abundance of
choice and dainty food, and no one to molest him out of season.

SEALS.

To these islands, notwithstanding their cheerless aspect, their dreary
barren shores, their damj) and foggy climate, come the fur seals every
year with the unerring regularity of the seasons; here they haul out of
the water and make their home on land for six months at least, during

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 5

wliicli time they bring forth and rear tlieir young, after wliicli tbey
return to the sea, and disappear in the depths of the great ocean until
the days lengthen out again and nature tells tbeni to return.

Given a few warm, sunny days any time about April 20, and the
"first bull" may be seen carefully reconnoitering a rookery and event-
ually hauling out and taking possession of the identical rock or spot
of earth upon which he dwelt with his family last year, and upon which
he himself, in all probability, was born.

Early in May the breeding males or bulls begin to arrive in large
numbers and select their stations, u])on which they lie down and sleep
for several weeks, or until about the time the breeding females or cows
are expected, when they assume an upright sitting posture and send
forth at intervals a cry peculiar to the fur seal, which is supposed to
be an invitation or signal to the approaching cows.

About the middle of May, and long before the arrival of the cows,
the large young males, or bachelors, begin to arrive at the islands;
and they, too, would haul out upon the breeding grounds were it not
that the bulls are there to prevent it by driving them oft. No male
seal can stay on the breeding grounds that is not old enough and strong
enough to maintain his position against all comers. The young males
are thus naturally forced to herd by themselves at a safe distance from
the breeding gTounds during the breeding season, and this regulation
in turn serves a very good purpose, for, as the breeding and killing
seasons run together through the months of June and July, the young
males can be easily surrounded and driven to the killing grounds with-
out having to disturb the breeding seals.

None but young male seals are ever killed for food or for skins or for
any other purpose on the islands.

About June 10 the cows begin to arrive and haul out and select their
stations for the season.

It has been claimed that the bulls meet the cows at the water's edge
and tight bloody battles for them, but my observation has convinced me
that the cow herself selects her station, and having once made a choice
she is certainly compelled to remain there.

Shortly after the arrival of the cows the young seals or pups are to
be seen upon the rookeries; and it is safe to say that, with few excep-
tions, they are all brought forth by July 25.

I have for six years paid particular attention to the formation of the
harems or families, and I find that from July 10 to 20 the rookeries are
fullest and at their best, and I have counted from 1 to 72 cows in one
harem.

After bringing forth their young the cows go into the sea to feed,
returning to and nursing their offspring every few hours at first, but
gradually lengthening their stay into days and weeks before they
return.

When about four or five weeks old the pups begin to stir around and
get acquainted with one another, forming pods or crowds, and running
in company, at first inclining toward the interior of the rookery, and
afterwards, as they advance in age and strength, they direct their steps
toward the beach, where they paddle around in the shallows until, step
by step, they learn to swim.

About the beginning of August the harems are broken up, the com-
pact formation of the herd is dissolved, and the different sexes mix and
mingle together indiscriminately all over the rookeries and hauling
grounds.

When the bull hauls out in May he is as "round as a barrel" and as

6 ALASKA INDTTSTRTES.

fat and sleek and glossy as possible; but after a four months' residence
on land, where he never tastes food or drink, he becomes so poor and
gaunt and weak that it is with tlie utmost difficulty he crawls off into
the sea when he leaves, late in August or early in September, to take
his annual journey tlirough Bering Sea and the IS'orth Pacific Ocean.
By September 15 the bulls have disappeared, and by the middle of
October the largest of the young males have followed them.

Early in November the cows begin to leave, and if the weather turns
unusually cold or rough they do not delay their departure.

The pups leave about the middle of November, and the yearlings,
male and female, leave early in December.

In exceptionally fine weather it is common to see a few seals in the
waters around the islands all winter, and in rare instances they have
been taken on shore as late as January; but the great herd follows a
well-defined and (at i)resent) well-known path through the Bering Sea
and the North Pacific Ocean south and east from the seal islands to
the coast of California, nearly ojiposite Cape St. Lucas, and return
along the American coast and the Aleutian Islands to Bering Sea.

The following very accurate descrijjtion of the fur seal nnd its pecul-
iarities is taken from the report of the United States Bering Sea
Commissioners:

1. The northern fnr seal (Callorliinus ursinus) is an inhabitant of Bering Sea and the
Sea of Okhotsk, where it breeds on rocky islands. Only fonr breeding colonies are
known, namely, (1) on the Pribilof Islands, belonging to the United States; (2) on
the Commander Islands, belonging to Russia; (3) on liobben Reef, belonging to Rus-
sia ; and (4) on the Kurile Islands, belonging to Japan. The Pribilof and Commander
Islands are in Bering Sea; Robben Reef is in the Sea of Okhotsk, near the island of
Saglialien, and the Kurile Islands are between Yezo and Kamchatka. The species is
not known to breed in any other part of the world. The fur seals of Lobos Island
and the south seas, and also those of the Galapagos Islands and the islands off Lower
California, belong to widely different species, and are placed in diliereut genera from
the northern fur seal.

2. In winter the fur seals migrate into the North Pacific Ocean. The herds from
the Commander Islands, Robben Reef, and the Kurile Islands move south along the
Japan coast, while the herd belonging to the Pribilof Islands leaves Bering Sea by
the eastern passes of the Aleutian chain.

3. The fur seals of the Pribilof Islands do not mix with those of the Commander
and Kurile islands at any time of the year. In summer the two herds remain
entirely distinct, separated by a water interval of several hundred miles; and in
their winter migrations those from the Pribilof Islands follow the American coast
in a southeasterly direction, while those from the Commander and Kurile islands fol-
low the Siberian and Japan coasts in a southwesterly direction, the two herds being
sep.arated in winter l)y a water interval of several thoTisand miles.

This regularity in the movements of the different herds is in obedience to the well-
known law that migratory animals follow definite routes in migration, and return
year after year to the same places to breed. Were it not for this law there would
be no 8U( h thing as stability of species, for interbreeding and existence under diverse
physiographic conditions would destroy all specific characters. '

The i»clage of the Pribilof fur seals differs so markedly from that of the Commander
Islands fur seals that the two are readily distinguished by experts, and have very
difl'erent values, the former commanding much higher prices than the latter at the
regular London sales.

4. The old breeding males of the Pribilof herd are not known to range much south
of the Aleutian Islands, but the females and young appear along the American coast
as far south as northern California. Returning, the herds of females move uorth-

^The home of a species is the area over which it breeds. It is well known to nat-
uralists that migratory animals, whether mammals, birds, fishes, or members of
other groups, leave their homes for a part of the year liecause the climatic conditions
or the food sujjply become unsuited to their needs; and that wherever the home of a
species is so situated as to provide a suitable climate and food sup))ly throughout the
year such s])ecie8 do not migrate. This is the explanation of the fact that the north-
ern fur seals are migrants, while the fur seals of tropical and warm temperate lati-
tudes do not migrate.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 7

ward along the coasts of Oregon, Wasbiugton, aud British Columbia in January,
February, and March, occnring at varying distances from shore. Following the
Alaskan coast northward aud westward, they leave the North Pacific Ocean in June,
traverse the eastern passes in the Aleutian chain, and proceed at once to the Pribilof
Islands.

5. The old (breeding) males reach the islands much earlier, the first coming the
last week in April or early in May. They at once land and take stands on the rook-
eries, where they await the arrival of the females. Each male (called a bull) selects
a large rock, on or near which he remains until August, unless driven off by stronger
bulls, never leaving for a single instant, night or day, and taking neither food nor
water. Both before aud for some time after the arrival of the females (called cows)
the bulls tight savagely among themselves for positions on the rookeries and for pos-
session of the cows, and many are severely wounded. All the balls are located by
Jnne 20.

6. The bachelor seals (holluschickie) begin to arrive early in May, and large num-
bers are on the hauling grounds by the end of May or first week of June. They begin
to leave the islands in November, but many remain into December or January, and
sometimes into February.

7. The cows begin arriving early in June, and soon appear in large schools or
droves, immense numbers taking their places on the rookeries each day between the
middle and the end of the month, the precise dates varying with the weather. They
assemble about the old bulls in compact groups, called harems. The harems are
complete early in July, at which time the breeding rookeries attain their maximum
size aud compactness. *

8. The cows give birth to their young soon after taking their places on the harems,
in the hitter part of June and in July, but a few are delayed until August. The
period of gestation is between eleven and twelve months.

9. A single young is born in each instance. The young at birth are about equally
divided as to sex.

10. The act of nursing is performed on land, never in the water. It is necessary,
therefore, for the cows to remain at the islands until the young are weaned, wliich
is not until they are four or five months old. Each mother knows her own pup, and
will not permit any other to nurse. This is the reason so many thousand pups staiwe
to death on the rookeries when their mothers are killed at sea. We have repeatedly
seen nursing cows come out of the water and search for their young, often traveling
considerable distances and visiting group after group of pups before finding their
own. On reaching an assemblage of pups, some of which are awake and others
asleep, she rapidly moves about among them, sniffing at each, and then gallops off to
the next. Those that are awake advance towai'd her, with the evident pnri^oso of
nursing, but she repels them with a snarl aud passes on. When she finds her own
she fondles it a moment, turns partly over on her side so as to present her nipples,
and it promptly begins to suck. In one instance we saw a mother carry her pup
back a distance of 15 meters (50 feet) before allowing it to nurse. It is said that the
cows sometimes recognize their young by their cry, a sort of bleat.

11. Soon after birth the pups move away from the harems and huddle together in
small groups, called "pods," along the borders of the breeding rookeries and at some
distance from the water. The small groups gradually unite to form larger groups,
which move slowly down to the water's edge. When six or eight weeks old the
pups begin to learn to swim. Not only aie the young not born at sea, but if soon
after birth they are washed into the sea they are drowned.

12. The fur seal is polygamous, and the male is at least five times as large as the
female. As a rule each male serves about fifteen or twenty females, but in some
cases as many as fifty or more.

13. The act of copulation takes place on land, and lasts from five to ten minutes.
Most of the cows are served by the middle of July, or soon after the birth of their pups.
They then take to the water, and come and go for food while nursing.

14. Many young bulls succeed in securing a few cows behind or away from the
breeding harems, particularly late in the season (after the middle of July, at which
time the regular harems begin to break up). It is almost certain that many, if not
most, of the cows are seiwed for the first time by these young bulls, either on the
hauling grounds or along the water front.

These young bulls may be distinguished at a glance from those on the regular harems
by the circumstance that they are fat and in excellent condition, Avhlle those that have
fasted for three months on the breeding rookeries are much emaciated and exhausted.
The young bulls, even when they have succeeded in capturing a number of cows,
can be driven from their stands with little difficulty, while (as is well known) the
old bulls outhe harems will die in their tracks rather than leave.

15. The cows are believed to take the bull first when 2 years old, and deliver their
first pup when 3 years old.

16. Bulls first take stands on tlie breeding rookeries when 6 or 7 years old. Before
this they are not powerful enough to fight the older bulls for positions on the harems.

8 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

17. Cows, when nursing, regularly travel long distances to feed. They are fre-
quently found 100 or 150 miles from the islands, and Bometimes at greater distances

18. The food of the fur seal consists of fish, squids, crustaceans, and probably other
forms of marine life.

19. The groat majority of cows, pups, and such of the breeding bulls as have not
already gone, leave the islands about the middle of November, the date varying con-
siderably with the season.

20. Part of the nonbreeding male seals (holluschickie), together with a few old
bulls, remain until January, and in rare instances until February, or even later.

21. The fur seal as a species is present at the Pribilof Islands eight or nine months
of the year, or from two-thirds to three-fourths of the time, and in mild winters
sometimes during the entire year. The breeding bulls arrive earliest and remain
continuously on the islands about four months. The breeding cows remain about
six months, and part of the nonbreeding male seals about eight or nine months, and
sometimes throughout the entire year.

22. During the northward migration, as has been stated, the last of the body or
herd of fur seals leave the North Pacific and enter Bering Sea in the latter part of
June. A few scattered individuals, however, are seen during the summer at various
points along the northwest coast. These are probably seals that were so badly
wounded by pelagic scalers that they could not travel with the rest of the herd to
the Pribilof Islands. It has been alleged that young fur seals have been found in
early summer on several occasions along the coast of British Columbia and south-
eastern Alaska. While no authentic case of the kind has come to our notice, it would
^e expected from the large number of cows that are wounded each winter and spring
along these coasts and are thereby rendered unable to reach the breeding rookeries,
and must perforce give birth to their young (perhaps prematurely) wherever they
may be at the time.

23. The reason the northern fur seal inhabits the Pribilof Islands to the exclusion
of all other islands and coasts is that it here finds the climatic and physical condi-
tions necessary to its life wants. This species requires a uniformly low temperature
and overcast sky and a foggy atmosphere to prevent the sun's rays from injuring it
during the long summer season when it remains upon the rookeries. It requires
also rocky beaches on which to bring forth its young. No islands to the northward
or southward of the Pribilof Islands, with the possible exception of limited areas
on the Aleutian chain, are known to possess the requisite combination of climate
and physical conditions.

All statements to the effect that fur seals of this species formerly bred on the
coasts and islands of California and Mexico are erroneous, the seals remaining there
belonging to widely different species.

DRIVING AND KILLING,

When the first young males, or baclielors, arrive at the islands in
May, a drive is made for food for the natives, who are hungry for fresh
meat, not having tasted any since the preceding November.

All of the driving is done under the immediate and exclusive direc-
tions of the native chief, who is the most experienced and. most trust-
worthy man on the island.

Should the seals happen to lie near the water, it will be necessary to
wait till the tide runs out before disturbing them. At the proper time
a dozen men are on the ground, and silently and swiftly running in
single file along the beach they form a line between the seals and the
sea; and then the startled animals will immediately start inland, where
they are slowly followed by the men, until they are too far from the beach
to escai)e to tlie water, when they are put in charge of three or four of the
men, who bring them along slowly to the killing grounds, which is never
less than half a mile away from the nearest breeding seals. No other
part of the work done in taking seal skins is more carefully performed
than the driving of seals; they are never driven at a pace greater than
about one mile in three hours, and most of the driving is done during
the niglit, so as to take advantage of the dew and moisture, and to avoid
the sudden appearance of the sun, which is always more or less injuri-
ous to seal life on a drive. The stories told by interested men about
careless and reckless driving are not true, and, for obvious reasons,

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. V

can not be true, because overdriving means overheating, and an over"
heated fur seal is one from which the fur lias fallen and left the skin
valueless, and that means a loss to natives, lessees, and Government
alike. As there is no one to benefit by overdriving, it is never indulged
in; and during an experience of six years on the islands I never saw a
skin injured by overheating or overdriving.

As most of the drives are made in the night, the seals are allowed to
lie in the damp grass around the killing grounds for several hours before
killing takes place; and it is customary to allow them to rest for a few
hours, no matter when they are driven, because it is besfc for the skin
and for the flesh that the animal be killed while it is cool and quiet
rather than while it may be warm and excited.

There are four different and well-defined killing grounds on St. Paul
Island, from some one of which the most distant hauling ground or
rookery is not to exceed 2^ miles.

On St. George there are'two killing grounds, from someone of which
the most distant rookery or hauling ground is not to exceed 3 miles,
and during the past fifteen years there has not been a longer drive made
on either island than 3 miles, interested parties to the contrary not-
withstanding.

Generally the killing is done just after breakfast, and the whole pop-
ulation turns out and takes part in the work.

The men and boys are divided into grades or classes : Clubbers, stick-
ers, flipperers, and skinners; the women and girls following the skinners
and taking care of the blubber and meat.

Two men at opposite sides of the herd will, by advancing till they
meet, cut out twenty or thirty seals from the main body and drive them
up to the killing ground, where six experienced men stand armed with
clubs of ash or hickory about 5^ feet long and about 3 inches thick at
the heavier end, which end is generally bound in sheet iron to prevent
its destruction by the continuous biting of the seals.

The clubbers are under the immediate orders of the lessee's local
agent who is a man of large experience in seal work, one who can tell
at a glance how much the skin of any particular seal will weigh, and
he points out the seals to be clubbed.

A smart blow on the head knocks the seal down and stuns him, and
if the blow has been properly dealt he never recovers; but quite often
it requires two to three blows from a bungler to finish him. The
clubbed seals are dragged into line and counted, and then "stuck"
and "flippered," or, in other words, they are stabbed to the heart and
allowed to bleed freely ; and then a knife is drawn around the head
and flippers, severing the skin and leaving it ready for the skinner,
who strips it off in short order and^ spreads it evenly on the damp
grass, flesh side down, to cool.

These several operations are repeated till the desired number are
killed, when the remaining seals are allowed to go into the water and
return to the hauling grounds.

After the skin has been removed, the women take the carcass and,
after stripping off the blubber or fat, cut off' the choice meat in strips
to dry; and, when dried, they pack it into the dried stomach of the sea
lion, where it is kept air tight and preserved for an indefinite period.

The remainder of the seal is boiled and eaten as wanted.

When all the seals killed are skinned, the skins are taken by wagon
to the salt house, where they are assorted and carefully inspected by the
lessee's agent, who throws out as rejected all skins that do not come
up to a certain standard. There are three classes of rejected skins,
namely : cut, small, and stagy.

10 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

A cut skin is one that lias been bitten through by one seal biting
another during one of their many battles, or it may liave been acci-
dentally cut daring the operation of skinning; a small skin is one that
weighs a little less than the minimum standard set up bj' the lessee's
agent, generally less than 6 pounds. After July the fur seal sheds his
hair, and it is during the shedding season, when the old hair is falling
out and before the new hair has attained its full growth, that the skin
is said to be stagy.

The fur of a stagy skin is just as good as any other; but the half-
grown new hair, being shorter than tlie fur, can not be plucked out by
hand or by machinery, and is therefore considered a blemish on the
skin, in consequence of which its price and value are naturally lowered
in the market.

Heretofore, and until the adoption of the modus vivendi in 1891, it
was customary to allow the natives to kill seals for food at any and all
times when they were to be found on the islands. And it was in this
way, and in this way only, that stagy skins were ever taken and wasted,
because all skins that are rejected by the lessee's agent are wasted so
far as Government interests and revenue are concerned.

No killing should be permitted for any purpose whatsoever during
the stagy season, say from July 31 to November 15.

After a thorough inspection, the skins are counted one by one in
presence of the Treasury agent, who makes a record of the same in a
book kept for that purpose, and in which he also enters the date of the
drive, the rookery driven from, the hour of driving, the state of the
weather, the number of seals killed, tlie number of skins accepted,
the number rejected, and the cause of such rejection.

The accepted skins are then salted by the natives in presence and
under the direction of the native chief and the lessee's agent. The
skins are spread on the iloor, hair side down, and covered with a layer
of coarse salt: again a layer of skins is laid on and covered with salt
as before, and the operation is repeated until all are salted.

After lying for at least live days in the first salt they are shaken out
and examined, and resalted as before, excejtting that the top layer is
now put down first and the original position of all layers reversed.

When sufficiently cured they are bundled by the natives, who, spread-
ing a thin layer of salt between two skins, lay them flesh side to flesh
side, and fold the two into a neat, compact bundle, which they tie
securely with strong twine, and throw into the pile for shipping. From
the shipping pile they are again counted out, bundl-e by bundle, by the
Treasury agent, in whose presence they are always taken from the salt
house to the boat, from which they are again counted by the mate into
the steamer that takes them to San Francisco, where they are counted
once more by the customs officers, and finally packed into barrels by
tlie lessees and shipped direct to London via New York.

Early in the morning of August 4, 1894, a drive was made from the
Eeef rookery in presence of Mr. Hamlin, who accomjianied the native
men who did the work, and who was present throughout the whole oper-
ation of driving, killing, and skinning the seals, insjiecting, assorting,
counting, and salting the skins, just as the same operations have been
performed every killing season for the past quarter of a century.^

1 The only exception to this is in the method of killing. The olden rule was to
allow each man to first knock down his share and then turn in and skin them, but
experience taught us that this was bad policy, for the carcasses that were allowed to
cool and stiffen before skinning were very apt to have their skins injured in the
operation, hence the adoption of the present improved system.

ALASKA TNDTISTRTES. 11

During our five days' stay on St. Panl Island we inspected all tlie
rookeries, walking- over many of them, and I carefully noted their con-
dition, the sparsely settled' breeding grounds, the deserted hauling
grounds, and the desolate appearance of the place in comparison with
what I saw there only five years ago, when hundreds of thousands of
seals swarmed over the greater portion of the ground that is now bare
and abandoned.

Next to the shriveled condition of the seal herd as a whole, the most
noted change I observed on the breeding grounds since 1889 was the
great number of idle bulls, young and vigorous, lying around in all
directions, watching an opportunity to secure cows.

They can not succeed, however, for during the past ten years the
cows have been the quarry of the pelagic sealer, whose improved meth-
ods of hunting in the open waters, and whose unceasing, unerring, and
merciless hunting of them at all seasons, have at length succeeded in
destroying at least a million nursing mothers, who, with their starved
ofispring and unborn young, represent a loss of many millions, which
in turn accounts for the acres of bare and unoccupied rookery ground
over which we walked without finding a seal. When in 1891 1 inspected
the same rookeries I counted 1,250 idle bulls at tlie very height of the
rutting season, and I have since observed a steady increase of breeding
bulls as the herd continued as steadily to decrease as a whole.

So plain and palpable has this increase of bulls beeji for the past five
years, it has become a topic of general conversation among those who
have had opportunities to observe the rookeries from year to year dur
ing the breeding season; and in his annual report for 1894 the agent
in charge of the islands says:

The only class of seals that showed, an increase over last year were the yonng bulls,
who were unable to find a siugle cow with which to start a harem on the roolceries.
There Avere more idle bulls of breeding age than there were bulls with harems on
the breeding grounds. (See Report of Joseph B. Crowley, 1894.)

Another very important feature observed in our inspection of the
rookeries in 1894 was the absence of dead pups in the early part of
August, for up to our leaving on the 8th I had not seen a dead pup on
the island, and the agent in charge, who was on St. Paul Island from
June to the latter part of August and who kept a close watch for dead
pups, tells me now that it was not till about August 20 there was a
dead pup to be seen, but from that date to the close of the season,
according to official communications received from the islands, the car-
casses of dead pups, starved and emaciated, increased with appalling
rapidity until 12,000 were counted by the assistant agents.

The agents reportthatthey actually counted 12,000 dead pups on the
accessible portions of the rookeries to which they could go without dis-
turbing the seals, and after making due allowance for the portions not
visited at all, they believe that a fair estimate of the total number of
dead pups on the two islands of St. Paul and St, George in 1894 would
aggregate 20,000. (See report of Joseph B. Crowley, 1894.)

And Mr. Joseph B. Crowley tells us that —

Every precaution was taken to count only such as appeared to have died late in
the season. None of the small young pups which showed dt cay and bore the appear-
ance of having died early in the breeding season were counted. * ** * I do not
make recklessly the statement of the dcatii of pups from starvation. There is posi-
tive proof of it. I witnessed the beginning of its disastrous results the last of
August before leaving the islands. Visiting the rookeries in person, I found hundreds
of pups which had lately died. They bore every appearance of liaving died of starva-
tion. Hundreds that were yet alive were so wasted and weak they could scarcely
drag themselves over the rocks and would not attempt to get out of the w ay when
approached. (Report of J. B. Crowley, 1894.)

12 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

"What is the cause of the death of so many fur-seal pups?" has been
asked many times during the past five years' discussion of the seal
question, and many conflicting; answers have been given. I tliinTv the
following, under the circumstftuces, is an answer that can not be contra-
dicted. The pelagic sealing season opened in Bering Sea on August 1,
1894, in accordance with the internati(»nal regulations made possible by
the Bering Sea Tribunal, under which ])elagic sealers are licensed to
kill seals, with spears, outside of the GO mile zone around the S6al ishmds,
and immediately we see the result of their work in the thousands of
pups starved to death after their mothers had been killed at sea by the
men whose right to kill them, at certain seasons, has been established
and acknowledged by the very tribunal that was created for the i)urpose
of preventing the destruction of the fur-seal herd.

One of the most horrible and harrowing sights imaginable is that of
being surrounded on the bleak and inhosi)itable shores of the Pribilof
Islands by thousands of dead and dying pup seals whose death has been
the result of slow starvation, and whose hungry cries and almost human
appeals for food and life must be made in vain, for, no matter how willing
and anxious one may be to render assistance, one feels it is beyond
human power to arrest the gnawing of hunger in an animal who is
totally dependent for sustenance on a mother who was killed a month
ago by pelagic sealers !

Those who once witnessed such a sight never can forget it, and occa-
sionally I receive letters from some of them which run somewliat like
the following:

Do tell me what is to be doue with the few remaining seals. * * * jf these
steps had been taken last year, even, there might have been enongh left to tell the
tale, but as it is I can not but feel what a pitiable sight the rookeries will present
next year. It was discouraging enough last spring when I compared the rookeries
with what 1 had seen just tlie year before. My heart bled for the poor starving pups
so much, the last stroll I took on the rookeries, that I could never go back. I don't
see how the judge could stand to see 10,000 dead ones. It would have broken my
heart I know. The morning we came into Dutch Harbor on our voyage down we
saw three sealing vessels sailing out toward the 60-miles limit. Oh, what a farce,
what a snare and delusion that 60 mile limit was! How could anyone who had
ever been to the seal islands and noted the habits of the feeding cows ever recom-
mend such a murderous proposition? Even I knew better than that. * * * But
13,000 cows taken staggered me. I had expected about 5,000 or 6,000, and even cal-
culated the terrible consequence upon the rookeries, but 13,000! that was terrible,
terrible !

The writer of that letter is the wife of the Treasury agent, an Amer-
ican lady of Christian education, culture, and refinement, who natu-
rally felt horrified at the sight she saw on the rookeries, and, like the
tender and merciful woman she is, she denounces the system, regula-
tion, custom, or whatever else it may be called, which makes such suf-
fering possible.

One instance in this connection worth recording is that of a pelagic

sealer whose heart was touched by the pitiful cries of an orphan pup,

and the story is told by an eyewitness under oath :

Of the seals that wore caught off the coast fully 90 out of every 100 had young
pups in them. The boats would bring the seals on board the vessel, and we would
take the young pups out and skin them. If the pup is good and a nice one, we
would skin it and keep it for ourselves. I had eight such skins myself. Four out
of five, if caught in May or June, would be alive when we cut them out of their
mothers. One of them we kept for pretty near three weeks alive on deck by feed-
ing it on condensed milk. One of the men finally killed it becau.se it cried so piti-
fully. (Affidavit of Alfred Dardean.)

The reverse side of the question is that held by the average pelagic
sealer, who kills the mother seal and cuts out her unborn young or
leaves the born young to slowly starve to death on the rookeries.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 13

The British Bering Sea commissioners in this connection stated:

The fur of the female is equally good with that of the male, aud under the coudi-
tious uuder which the hunting is carried on, there is room for no sentimental consid-
erations in favor of either sex.

I was informed by the Treasury agent aud others who had wintered
ou the seal islands that the winter of 1893-94 had been one of unusual
severity, rigor, and length, and that the seals had been much later in
hauling out than for many years past.

This happens occasionally, for whenever it is unusually cold during the
spring and early summer months, and the ice hangs around the islands
till the latter end of May or early June, the seals will not or can not
haul out until passages are nmde and the rocks and beach cleared of
ice; all of which had to be done last season.

From the same source I also learned that never before, since the
United States owned the islands, were seals so few upon the rookeries
during the killing season of June and July, and that the 20,000 killa-
bles allowed to be taken this year were not to be found unless the
standard weight and size should be lowered by the lessees and smaller
seals taken. As the lessees have not taken any skins weighing less
than 7 pounds, and have killed some 10,000 first-class seals, 1 have no
doubt of their being able to get 20,000 had they chosen to take 4,000
skins weigliing from 5 to 6 pounds each.

This opens up a question of the utmost importance to our Govern-
ment, for if we can not find 20,000 young male seals on the seal islands,
whose skins will weigli from 7 to 12 pounds each, after a modus vivendi,
and a general rest of nearly four years, it is most assuredly time for us
to search for the cause of the steady decrease of the fur-seal herd.

To all those whose long and practical experience on the islands and
among the seals gives them a right to be heard, the explanation is not
hard, but unfortunately, because of many clashing interests, there has
been a glamor of secrecy and sacreduess thrown around the fur-seal
question, by and through which plain, practical, business men have
been debarred from expressing an opinion, or, having dared to express
one, have been tabooed by interested parties. For years the cause of
the decrease in the seal herd has been discussed with unabated vigor;
so-called improved methods of all sorts have been suggested, and a
few of them tried ; and, finally, when the question assumed international
])roportious, arbitration was resorted to in hopes of forever settling a
vexed question and of saving from total extinction the remnants of our
seal herd that had, only a few years ago, been numbered by the millions
and valued at nearly $100,000,000.

In spite of all that has been done thus far, however, the seal herd is
rapidly decreasing, and in the very nature of things must continue to
decrease so long as scores of ships and thousands of men are permitted
to hunt them in the open sea aud kill them without regard to age, sex,
or condition.

There is no more mystery about the cause of the decrease and destruc-
tion of the fur-seal herd than there would be about the decrease of a
herd of cattle on the plains of Colorado if the owner should continue to
sell or kill, or allow someone else to sell or kill, his breeding cows for a
series of years, or until they were all gone.

Twice since the discovery of the seal islands and during Eussian
occupation have the seals been almost exterminated because of the
indiscriminate slaughter of the female, or mother seal, for it is well
known that the Russians continued to slaughter everything on the

14 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

islands without regard to age, sex, or condition until 1834, when the
question of total extermination stared them in the face.
Venianiiuov tells us:

Froiu the time of the discovery of the Pribilof Islands up to 1805 the takiug of fur
seals progressed v.ithout count or lists, and without responsible heads or chiefs,
because then (1787 to 1805, inclusive) there were a number of compauies, represented
by as many agents or leaders, and all of them vied with each other in taking as many
as they could before the killing was stopped. After this, in 1806 and 1807, there
were no seals taken, and nearly all the people were removed to Unalaska.

In 1808 the killing was again commenced, but the peo^jle in this year were allowed
to kill only on St. George. On St. Paul hunters were not permitted this year or the
next.

It was not until the fourth year after this that as many as half the number pre-
viously taken were annually killed.

From this time (St. Georgo 1808 and St. Paul 1810) up to 1822, taking fur seals pro-
gressed on both ishinds witliout economy and with slight circumspectiou as if there
were a race in killing for the most skins. Cows were taken in drives and killed, and
were also driven from the rookeries to places where they were slaughtered. (Elliott's
translation.)

And Mr. Elliott, commenting on Veniaminov's zapieska, tells us that —

A study of this killing throughout the zapooska of 1834 on St. Paul Island shows
that for a period of seven years, from 1835 down to the close of the season of 1841, no
seals practically were killed save those that were needed for food and clothing by the
natives, and that in 1835 for the first time in the history of this iudustry on these
islands, was the vital principle of not killing female seals recognized. It will be
noticed that the entry for each and every year distinctly specifies so many bachelor
seals or holluschickovkotovie.

The sealing in those days was carried on all through the summer until the seals
left in October or Novemlter, on account of the tedious method then in vogue of air
drying the skius. This caused them in driving after the breaking up of the breeding
season by the end of July, to take up at first hundreds, and thousands later on, of the
females, but they never spared those cows then when they arrived in the droves on
the killing grounds, prior to this date above quoted, of 1835. (Elliott's report, 1890.)

Ignoring for the moment all that has been said about the thought-
lessness and brutality of the Kussian methods of driving and killing
seals, and of the incalculable waste arising therefrom, which resulted in
the almost total destruction of the species on two occasions, it is never-
theless true that after many years of bitter experience they did learn to
do better; and when they turned the property over to the United States
in 18(j8 there were nearly 5,000,000^ of seals on the Pribilof Islands,
and that for a period of sixteen years afterwards there was neither
decrease nor diminution perceptiblein those immense and valuable herds.

Dr. H. H. Mclntyre, who was the general superintendent for the
Alaska Commercial Company during the whole time of their twenty-
year lease of the seal islands, writing, confidentially, to his employers in
1889, says :

The breeding rookeries from the beginning of the lease till 1882 or 1883 were, I
believe, constantly increasing in area and population, and my observations in this
direction are in accordance with those of Mr. Morgan, Mr. Webster, and others, who
have been for many years with me in your service, and of the late special Treasury
agent, J. M. Morton, who was on the islands from 1870 to 1880. (See H. H. Mclntyre
to Alaska Commercial Company, July 16, 1889, Appendix.)

And Mr. Henry W. Elliott, writing in 1881, fully corroborates the
foregoing when he tells us —

There were no more seals seen here by human eyes in 1786 and 1787 than there are
now in 1881, as far as all evidence goes. (Elliott's Seal Islands of Alaska, p. 66.)

'Grand sum total for the Pribilof Islands (season of 1873), breeding seals and
young, 3,193,420. The nonbreeding seals seem nearly equal in number to that of the
adult breeding seals; but, without putting them down at a figure quite so high, I
may safely say that the sum total of 1,500,000, in round numbers, is a fixir enumera-
tion, and quite within bounds of fact. Tliis makes the grand sum total of the fur-
seal life on the Pribilof Islands over 4,700,000. (Elliott, The Fur-Scal Islands of
Alaska, lip. 61, 62.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

15

It was in 1873 that Mr. Elliott estimated the number of seals on the
Pribilof Islands at 4,700,000, and he again tells us in 1881 that the
seals never had been more numerous than they were then; but in 1890
he found them reduced to 959,393 seals, including everything on the
islands, or about one-fifth of what the herd had been in 1873.

In 1891 the Treasury agents on the seal islands were instructed to
make daily visits to the rookeries during the breeding season for the
purpose of noting the peculiar habits of the seals and carefully estimat-
ing their numbers at various dates on each rookery, and the highest
estimate made, not Including the pups, was somewhat less than half a
million.

I was one of the agents who did this work in 1891, and I have spent
hours and days and weeks, in turn, watching the cows from their first
landing. They would often stay away from their offspring for a week
at a time.

I have selected a favorable location on the Eeef rookery, where I was
some 30 feet above the hai-em and out of danger of being discovered by
the seals below, and I have watched one particular pup from its birth
until it was a month old; and I found that the cow left it for an hour or
two only at first, then for a day, and by the end of the month for four
to six days at a time.

This fact, coupled with another that I observed in 1890, convinced
me that the fur seals do not digest their food as ra^ndly as some other ani-
mals, and consequently they can live longer without eating or drinking.

The other fact referred to is this : In 1890 we killed for the natives
on St. Paul Island some 2,364 pups, after all the cows had been gone
from the island for more than two weeks, and we found the stomachs
of all those pups full of i)ure, undigested milk.

I walked over all the rookeries on St. Paul Island twice during the
season of 1891, beginning at Halfway Point on July 7, and completing
the second journey at Northeast Point on July 22, and the highest esti-
mate I made of the number of seals on each was as follows:

Rookery.

Northeast Point

Eeef

Halfway Point

Tolstoi and Lagoon

Zapadnie and East Zapadiiie
English Bay

Seals.

149, 975
93, 150
10, 500
82, 650
86, 200
32, 050

Eookery.

Middle Hill

Ketavie

Lukannon

Total, not including pups

Seals.

5,150

5,075

16, 000

481, 350

This estimate was made on the basis of an average of 40 cows to each
bull, and it was assumed that only one-half the bulls were in sight at
any one time, or, in other words, we could not get close enough to see
them without disturbing the seals, so we multiplied the nuimber found
by 2, and the product by 40, in order to obtain, approximately, the num-
ber of seals on a rookery.

It is possible, of course, that the method of computation adopted was
not the best and that we probably missed the real number by many
thousands, plus or minus, but for all practical purposes of comparison
between the condition of the rookeries in 1891 and 1 894 it is as good as
perfection, for it is enough to show that no matter how many seals were
there in 1891, not to exceed one-half of the number were to be found in
1894.

The same is eijually true of St. George, wliere the rookeries, because
of their relatively smaller area, show the decrease at a glance to any-

16 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

one who was on the islaud a few years ago, and who ever paid any
attention to the seals wlien the rookeries were tilled out to their fullest,
and thousands were to be seen sporting- in the waters around them.

Indeed, I do not hesitate to say that there was not to exceed 300,000
seaLs on St. Paul and St. George islands in August, 18(f4.

It is liere the questions naturally arise, "Wliat is the cause of the
decrease of the seal herd? Is there a remedy: and if so, how can it
be applied?"

I sliall attempt to answer the questions in the order in wliicli I have
stated them, and I aim to show tliat all of my own views are in strict
accord with those whose disinterestedness, practical knowledge, or sci-
entific attainments warrant them in expressing- views on the question at
issue.

And it will be found, I think, that while we may differ in our estimates
of the number of seals on the islands at any particular time or period,
or that our notions about metliods and manngement may never be exactly
alike, we are all agreed that the cause of the decrease of the fur seal herd
is pehigic sealing.

Speakingfor myself, after an experience of six years on the seal islands,
I have no doubt that were it not for pelagic sealing the seal herd would
be as numerous and as flourishing to day as it was in 1868 or 1881. or
at any other period since the discovery of the islands; nor is it at ran-
dom or without long study that I say this, for I have given the subject
a great deal of serious thought during the world-wide discussion of the
question since 1890.

When the question of the decrease of the seal herd was iirst men-
tioned i)ublicly as a reality, theories as numerous as the men who enter-
tained them were offered in explanation of the cause of such decrease,
and lor awhile it was argued with consummate ability and persistent
energy by Mr. H. W. Elliott, who was considered an authority on all
that relates to fur seals, that the driving from the hauling to the killing
grounds injured the young males to the extent of impotency, and thus
unfitted them at maturity for service on the breeding grounds.

A mere idle guess at first, this theory was pushed to the front with
energy, although, could angry personal feelings and prejudice have been
eliminated from the controversy, the gentleman might have discovered
what every scientist, naturalist, and impartial observer saw from the
first, that so long as all the cows on the rookeries had pups beside them
in season, and every mature cow killed at sea was either a nursing-
mother or about to become one, the theory of a scarcity of bulls could
not be maintained. And after the passions and prejudices existing on
the seal islands in 1890 cooled down or had ceased to exist, Mr. Elliott
made an affidavit in which he says:

Alter carefully examining the situation, actual records, and trustworthy testimony
of men engaged in sealing with whom I have conversed, and also from knowledge of
the migratorj^ luibit and peculiar circumstances of seal hfe, I am of the opinion that
unchecked pelagic sealing is sure, speedy destruction of the Pribilof herd of fur
seals; that if allowed to continue and the fleet increases in number of vessels and
increased skill of hunters, even though the present modus vivendi should remain in
force, it would result in the utter commercial ruin of the herd; that in order to pre-
serve the seals from complete destruction, as a commercial factor, it is necessary that
peliigic sealing should not only be prohibited in Bering Sea, but also in the IVorth
Pacitic from the Ist of May until the end of October, annually. The pelagic hunters
to-day kill at least 90 per cent cows (the great majority being with young, nearly
ready for delivery) in the Pacific Ocean.

As the physical conditions are such that it is utterly impossible to discriminate in
matters of sex or age when shooting or spearing in the water, it is evident that
pelagic sealing can not bo regulated in the slightest degree beyond its complete pro-
nibition within certain limits. (Elliott's affidavit, 1892j see Appendix.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 17

Of all the testimony collected during the preparation of the United
States case for the Tribunal of Arbitration, I know of nothing clearer
or more explicit than this of Mr. Elliott, and to me it seems pitiful,
indeed, that one who has such a grasp of the subject, and the ability to
express it so well, should have been allured for a moment from the plain
path of fact to follow the ignis fatuus of theory through so many lanes
and byways to the sorrow of so many of his friends and admirers.

Keading his different pai)ers, in the light of subsequent events, their
perusal makes one feel sorry, indeed, that he did not adopt Webster's
views and follow his advice when the old veteran sealer conversed with
him on St. George Island that 2Cth day of July, 1890, of which Mr.
Elliott writes :

Daniel Webster is the veterau white sealer on these islands. He came to St. Paul
Island in 1868, and, save the season of 1876 (then on a trip to the Russian seal islands),
he has been sealing here ever since, being in charge of the work at Northeast Point
annually until this summer of 1890, when he has conducted the killing on St. George.

He spoke very freely to me this afternoon while calling on me, and said there is no
use trying to build these rookeries up again so as to seal here, as has been done since
1868, unless these animals are protected in the North Pacific Ocean as well as in
Bering Sea; on this point the old man was very emphatic. (Elliott's report for
1890, p. 250.)

What wonder is it that Webster should have been emphatic in his
remarks on pelagic sealing? For more than fifty years he has been in
Bering Sea, thirty years of which have been spent among the fur seals
of which he has had the practical management, and handled and killed
more of them than any other living man.

A plain, blunt, rough, practical seaman, honest and patriotic to the
core, he could not be wheedled into new-fangled notions or airy theories
which are repugnant to good, common sense, and so he makes oath that:

My observation has been that there was an expansion of the rookeries from 1870
to 1879, which fact I attribute to the careful management of the islands by the
United States Government. * * » There was never, while I have been upon the
islands, any scarcity of vigorous bulls, there always being a sufficient number to
fertilize all the cows coming to the islands. * * *

The season of 1891 showed that male seals had certainly been in sufficient number
the year before, because the pups on the rookeries were as many as should be for the
number of cows landing, the ratio being the same as in former years.

Then, too, there was a surplus of vigorous bulls in 1891 who could obtain no cows.
* '^ * At Zapaduie, on St. George, the drive to the killing grounds is less than a
mile. The seals are now being killed there instead of being driven across the island,
as they were prior to 1878, when it took three days to make the journey. * * *

At Northeast Point rookery, on St. Paul Island, the longest drive is 2 miles. In
former times the Russians used to drive from this rookery to St. Paul village, a dis-
tance of 12^ miles. (See Webster's affidavit, Appendix.)

Yes, let it not be forgotten for a moment that from the first taking of
fur seals for their skins on the Pribilof Islands to 1808 they were driven
a distance of 12^ miles — or from end to end of St. Paul Island — and
that no distinction of sex was made, male and female being driven and
slaughtered indiscriminately, until the almost total extinction of the
species in 1834 compelled the Eussian-American Company to investigate
the cause of the decrease, which resulted in prohibiting the killing of
females forever after wa; ds.

It seems that in spite of their ignorant and barbarous methods and
their possible lack of scientific acumen, these Russians were practical
fellows after all, for the sequel certainly shows that the plan adopted
by them of saving and protecting the female was the true one. Mr.
Elliott's own estimates show that from 1835 to 1881 the herds had
steadily increased up to 5,000,000 seals, or up to a point beyond which
it was impossible to go. Speaking of the increase of seal life, he tells us :

I am free to say that it is not within the power of human management to promote
this end to the slightest appreciable degree over its present extent and coudition aa

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 2

18 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

it stands in the state of nature heretofore described. It can not fail to be evident,
from luy detailed narration of the habits and life of the fur seal on these island?
during so large a part of every year, that could man have the same supervision and
control over this animal during the whole season which he has at his command
while they visit the land he might cause them to multii)Iy and increase, as he would
so many cattle, to an indefinite number, only limited by time and the means of feed-
ing them. But the case in question, unfortunately, is one where the fur seal is
taken, by demands for food, at least six months out of every year, far beyond the
reach or even cognizance of any man, where it is all this time exposed to many
known powerful and destructive natural enemies, and probably many others, equally
so, unknown, which prey upon it, and, in accordance with that well-recognized law
of nature, keeps this seal life at a certain number — at a figure which has been
reached for ages past, and continue to be in the future, as far as they now are — their
present maximum limit of increase, namely, between 4,000,000 and 5,000,000 seals, in
round numbers. This law holds good everywhere throughout the animal kingdom,
regulating and preserving the equilibrium of life in the state of nature. Did it not
hold good these seal islands and all Bering Sea would have been literally covered,
and have swarmed like the medusae of the waters, long before the Russians discov-
ered them. But, according to the silent testimony of the rookeries, which have been
abandoned by the seals, and the noisy, emphatic assurance of those now occupied,
there were no more seals when first seen here by human eyes in 1786 and 1787 than
there are now in 1881, as far as all evidence goes. (Elliott's Seal Islands of Alaska,
p. 66.)

What a pity it is that Mr. Elliott should have forgotten in 1890 the
fact that the long drives of from 6 to 12 miles were continued by the
Russians as long as they were in possession of the islands, and that
from 1808 to 1881 the Americans killed, annually, 100,000 young male
seals without causing diminution or decrease, and that during the eutire
forty-seven years, from 1834 to 1881, the herd increased to marvelous
proportions in spite of the long drives and the killing of so many young
males, until, as he himself says, "there were no more seals when first
seen here by human eyes in 1786 and 1787 than there are now in 1881,
as far as all evidence goes."

DECREASE OF SEALS — LACK OF MALE LIFE NOT THE CAUSE.

In this connection it may be well to notice some of the testimony bear-
ing on this very question of an excess or a dearth of bulls on the breed-
ing grounds, collected by the United States when preparing their case
for submission to the Tribunal of Arbitration, where the British coun-
sel laid such stress upon Mr. Elliott's report of 1890, with his theory of
overdriving, impotency, dearth of bulls, innumerable barren females,
and a consequent decrease of the seal herd as a whole.

In their report the British Bering Sea Commissioners say :

Upon the Pribilof Islands in 1891 we did not ourselves note any great abundance
of barren females, but the facts in this matter would be scarcely apparent to those
not intimately connected with the rookeries for more than a single year. In his
official report on the condition of the islands in 1890, Mr. Elliott states that there were
then 250,000 females "not bearing or not served last year and this," but he does not
explain in what way this numerical estimate was arrived at. (Report of British
Commissioners, sec. 433, p. 77.)

Not only did they not note " any great abundance of barren females,"
but it is ail open question whether they noted any, for the fact is there
were not any such animals there to be seen, but they gladly quote Mr.
Elliott's story of 1890 about the 250,000 barren females which he observed
on the islands.

There was not a single day of the breeding season of 1891 when some
of the four Treasury agents were not out on the rookeries making care-
fnl examination of the condition of seal life thereon, and, although I
was one of the four, I have yet to hear the first word from any of them,
or from any one else who has ever been on a rookery (excepting Mr.
Elliott) about barren females.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

19

It has been amply demonstrated by different individuals, and in many
ways, that there was not a shadow of trntli in Mr. Elliott's theory, and
many of his own most intimate friends and fellow-workers, who are well
qnalified to speak as scientists on the seal question, are among the fore-
most of those who tiatly contradict him on that point.

Prof. B. W. Everniann, of the United States Fish Commission, visited
y t. Paul Island while I was there in 1892, and he very carefully inspected
the seals on many of the rookeries, beginning July 18 and ending on
the 31st, and here is what he found:

LuKAKNoN Rookery, July 19, from 1.30 tod p. m.

Harems.

1

2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Bulls.

Cows.

Pups.

7

26

6

60

4

20

2

5

27

12

10

15

2

0

0

0

Harems.

9

10

11

12

13

Total

Bulla.

13

Cows.

5
12
4
5
6

90

Pups.

3
20

5
15
30

211

Reef Rookery, July SO, p. m.
* * * Mauy quite large bulls were seen amoug the bachelors, and there is uo
doubt in my mind but that the number of available bulls is considerably in excess of
the number necessary to serve the cows.

Northeast Point Rookery, July 22.

Several hours in the middle of the day were spent in examining this rook-
ery. * * *

Just west of this is a bunch of about 10 good-sized bulls that had no cows about
them at all. These were not old, superannuated bulls, but young, vigorous ones, and
undoubtedly well able to maintain harems were there a greater number of cows.
This and numerous other similar sights convince me that there are even now a good
mauy more bulls than are necessary to serve the cows. (Notes on the fur seal, by B.
W. Evermann, Counter Case, United States, p. 264.)

And 0. H. Townsend, of the United States Fish Commission, who
has had many years practical experience among fur seals, afloat and
ashore, and who was on duty in Bering Sea during the summer of 1892,
makes affidavit as follows:

As already stated above, I was attached to the steamer Corwin during the past
summer, and I made all the examinations of the stomachs of the seals referred to in
Captain Hooper's report, covering in all 33 seals. * * * These seals were taken on
the 2d day of August, 1892, at a distance of about 175 miles from the islands. * * *

From the fact that among the females thus taken and examined there were found
mostly nursing cows, with a small number of virgin cows, it is reasonable to conclude
that there are practically no barren females swimming about in the sea unattached
to the islands, or that at any rate, if such seals exist, they are rarely, if ever, taken.
In all my experience I never saw anything to lead me to the conclusion that there is
such a thing as a barren female. In the case of the virgin cows, a careful examina-
tion of the uterus proved them to be too immature for conception. (C. H.- Town-
send; see af3Qdavit in Appendix.)

The testimony of Professor Evermann and Mr. Townsend is a fair
sample of that given by naturalists generally, and it is doubly valuable in
this instance, because it comes from personal friends of Mr. Elliott, and
from friends who rather inclined to his theory until they had oppoitunity
to investigate for themselves, and to demonstrate to their own and the
world's satisfaction that there never was an impotent bull or a barren
cow seen on the breeding grounds or rookeries of the Pribilof Islands
or in the waters adjacent thereto.

Additional testimony of those who have had experience with the fur
seals, and whose practical knowledge of the whole subject of seal life,
its growth, expansion, and decay, and the causes thereof, entitles them

20 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

to a hearing on the point at issne, is most respectfully snbmitted to the
earnest consideration of all who are interested in the perpetuation of
the Alaskan fur seal.

Mr. Joseph Stanley-Brown, who also was on the seal islands in 1891-92,
testifies as follows:

No intelligeut observer would be so bold as to assert that during the season of
1892 there was not an abundance of males of comi)etcut virility, despite the occur-
rence of occasional large harems. The accompanying photographs' show that even
at the height of the season, and just previous to the disintegration of the breeding
grounds, there were, unsupplied with cows, old males which had taken their stand,
and from which I was unable to drive them with stones.

I should have been extremely glad to have been able to note a great many more
large harems, but the work of the pelagic hunter among the females has been so
effective, that the average size of the harems is growing smaller and smaller, while
the number of idle bulls is steadily increasing.

The abundance of male life for service upon the rookeries was evidenced by the
number of young bulls which continually sought lodgment upon the breeding
grounds.

It is highly improbable that the rookeries have ever sustained any injury from
insufficient service on the part of the males, for any male that did not possess suf-
ficient vitality for sustained potency would inevitably be deprived of his harem by
either his neighbor or some lusty young aspirant, and this dispossession would be
rendered the more certain by the disloyalty of his consorts.

The seal being polygamous in habit, each male being able to provide for a harem
averaging twenty or thirty members, and the proportion of male to female bom
being equal, there must inevitably be left a reserve of young immature males, the
death of a certain proportion of which could not in anyway affect the annual supply
coming from the breeding grounds. These conditions existing, the Government has
permitted the taking, with three exceptions up to 1890, of a quota of about 100,000
of these young male seals annually. When the abundance of seal life, as evidenced
by the areas formerly occupied by seals, is considered, I do not believe that this could
account for or play any appreciable part in the diminution of the herd. * « *

From my knowledge of the vitality of seals, 1 do not believe any injury ever
occurred to the reproductive powers of the male seals from redriving that would
retard the increase of the herd, and that the driving of 1890 necessary to secure
about 22,000 skins could not have caused nor played any important part in the
decrease that was apparent on every hand last year.

Karp Buterin, native chief of St. Paul Island (see Appendix) :

Plenty of bulls all the time on the rookeries, and jdeuty bulls have no cows. I
never seen a 3-year-old cow without a pup in July; only 2-year-old8 have no pups.

H. N. Clark, local agent for lessees :

I never noticed any disproportion of the sexes that would lead me to suspect that
the bull seals were too few, nor more than an occasional barren cow. These latter
were so few as to excite no remark, but if any such disproportion did in fact exist
in 1888 and in 1889, it was the fault of those who killed them at sea, because it never
occurred at all until the marine hunters became numerous and aggressive. I mention
this matter here, because since I left the island I have heard it asserted that the mis-
management there caused the decrease of seal life. The management there was just
such as I would follow if all the seals belonged to me.

0. L. Fowler, local agent for lessees :

I never saw any impotent bulls on the rookeries, and do not believe there ever waB
any, unless it was the result of age; nor do I believe that young male seals were ever
rendered imjiotent by driving. There has always been a plenty of bulls on the rook-
eries for breeding purposes ever since I have been on the islands.

John Fratis, native sealer, St. Paul Island :

I never knew of a time when there were not plenty of bulls for all the cows, and
I never saw a cow seal, except a 2-year-old, without a pup by her side in the proper
season. I never heard tell of an impotent bull seal, nor do I believe there is such a
thing, excepting the very old and feeble or badly wounded ones. I have seeu hun-
dreds of idle vigorous bulls upon the rookeries, and there were no cows for them. I
saw many such bulls last year.

' Not given here.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 21

H. N. Glidden, Treasury rig^eut:

During these years there was always a sufficiency of vigorous male life to serve all
the female seals which came to the islands, and certainly during this period seal life
was not affected by any deficiency of males.

Alex. HaDSSOu:

The orders of the boss of the gang in which I worked in 1888 and 1889, under the
management of the Alaska Commercial Company, were not to kill the 5-year-old
bulls, because they were, he said, needed on the rookeries.

Aggei Kiishen, native sealer, St. Paul Island:

We noticed idle, vigorous bulls on the breeding rookeries, because of the scarcity
of cows, and I have noticed that the cows have decreased steadily every year since
1886, but more particularly so in 1888, 1889, 1890, and 1891.

H. H. Mclntyre, general superintendent Alaska Commercial Com-
pany:

And I am satisfied a sufficient number of males was always reserved for future
breeding purposes.

That during the twenty years I was upon said Pribilof Islands as general agent of
said Alaska Commercial Company there were reserved upon the breeding rookeries
upon said islands sufficient vigorous bulls to serve the number of females upon said
rookeries ; that while I was located upon said islands there was at all times a greater
number of adult male seals than was necessary to fertilize the females who hauled
upon said rookeries, and that there was no time when there were not vigorous bulls
on the rookeries who were unable to obtain female consorts.

So well was this necessity for reserving sufficient mature male life recognized, that
when in 1887, 1888, and 1889 the depleted rookeries (depleted from causes that will
be explained further on) would not furnish- the quota of 100,000 large skins, 2 and
3 year-old male seals were taken to make up the quota in preference to trenching
upon this reserve of maturer male life.

The policy of the Alaska Commercial Company during the whole period of its
lease was, as might be naturally expected, to obtain the best possible skins for
market and at the same time preserve the rookeries against injury, for it was not
only iu their interests to be able to secure every year, until the expiration of the
lease, the full quota allowed by law, but the^' confidently expected, by reason of
their good management of the business and faithful fulfillment of every obligation
to the Government, to obtain the franchise for a second term. I was, therefore,
always alert to see that the due proportion of breeding males of serviceable age
was allowed to return to the rookeries. This was a comparatively easy task prior
to 1882, but became from year to year more difficult as the seals decreased. No very
explicit orders were given to the bosses upon this point until 1888, because the bulls
seemed to be plentiful enough, and because it was easier to kill and skin a small seal
than a large one, and the natives Avere inclined, for this reason, to allow the large
ones to escape; but in 1888 aud 1889 there was such a marked scarcity of breeding
males upon the rookeries that I gave strict orders to spare all 5-year-old bulls aud
confine the killing to smaller animals.

Anton Melovedoff, native chief of St, Paul Island:

I have never known or heard tell of a time when there were not bulls enough and
to spare on the breeding rookeries. I never saw a cow 3 years old or over iu August
without a pup by her side. The only cows on a breeding rookery without pups are
the virgin cows who have come there for the first time. I never went onto a rook-
ery in the breeding season when I could not have counted plenty of the idle, vigor-
ous bulls who had no cows.

Talk of epidemics among seals and of impotent bulls on the rookeries, but those
who have spent a lifetime on the seal islands and whose business and duty it has
been to guard and observe them have no knowledge of the existence of cither. An
impotent bull dare not attempt to go on a rookery even had he a desire to do so.
Excepting the extremely old and feeble, I have never seen a bull that was impotent.

Simeon Melovidov, native school teacher, St. Paul Island :

Nor is there any shadow of fact for the idle statement made from time to time
about a dearth of bulls on the rookeries or of impotent bulls.

I have talked to the old men of our people, men who cau remember back Arer fifty
years, and not one of them knows of a time when there was not plenty of bulls, aud
more than enough on the breeding rookeries, and no one here ever heard of an impo-
tent bull. * * * It has been said that cows are barren sometimes because of the

22 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

dearth of bulls, but such is uot the case at all, for the only cows on the breeding
rookeries in July or August without pups are the 2-year-ol(l8 (virgins), which have
come on the rookeries for the first time.

T. F. Morgan, foreman on Pribilof Islands for Alaska Commercial
Company :

Despite the lowering on the standard weight of skins, care was taken annually on
St. (ieorge that the residue of available male breeders was sufficient for the needs
of the rookeries, and instructions to that eifect were given to the assistants by the
superintendent of the Alaska Counuercial Company. In this we were aided by tlie
inaccessible character of some of the hauling grounds.

I. H. Moulton, Treasury agent:

During these years there were always a sufficiency of male seals for breeding pur-
poses, and in every year I saw great numbers of idle, vigorous bulls about and back
of the breeding grounds which were unable to obtain females.

S. E.. Kettleton, Treasury agent:

During my stay on the islands I have never seen a time during the breeding season
when there has not been a number of large, vigorous young bulls hanging about the
borders of the rookeries watching for an opportunity to get a position of their own.

L. A. ISToyes, M. D. (see affidavit in Appendix) :

The "dearth of bulls theory" has been thoroughly and impartially investigated
without discovering a cow of 3 years old or over on the rookeries without a pup by
her side at the proper time, and I am convinced that the virgin females coming onto
the rookeries for the first time are the only ones to be found there without pups.

The investigation established the additional fact that hundreds of vigorous bulla
were lying idle on the rookeries without cows, and many others had to content them-
selves with only one or two.

The theory of "impotency of the bull through overdriving" while young was also
found to be untrue, and it was shown that after 1878 all long drives on both islands
had been abolished, and instead of driving seals from 6 to 12 miles, as was done in
Russian times, none were driven to exceed 2^ miles.

It is also a well-known fact that none but the physically strong and aggressive
bulls can hold a position on the rookeries, and tliat a weak or an impotent animal
has no desire to go there.

J. C. Eedpath, lessee's agent at the seal islands (see affidavit in Ap-
pendix) :

A dearth of bulls on the breeding rookeries was a pet theory of one or two tran-
sient visitors, but it only needed a thorough investigation of the condition of the
rookeries to convince the most skeptical that there were plenty of bulls, and to spare,
and that hardly a cow could be found on the rookeries without a pup at her side.

For five years I have given this particular subject my most earnest attention, and
every succeeding year's experience has convinced me that there is not and never was
a dearth of bulls. The theory of impotency of the youngbulls because of overdriving
whenyoungisnotworthyof consideration by any sane or honest man who has ever seen
a bull seal on a breeding rookery ; and as I have already answered the question of
overdriving, I will only add here that no young bull ever goes upon the breeding
rookery until he is able to fight his way in, and an impotent bull has no desire to
fight, nor could he win a position on the rookery were he to attempt it. The man
is not alive who over saw a 6 or 7 year old seal impotent.

B. F. Scribner, Treasury agent:

There was always in both seasons a great sufficiency of adult males to serve all the
females coming to the island, and I noticed each year a great number of idle, vigorous
bulls behind the breeding grounds who could not obtain consorts, and one of these
extra bulls always took the place of an old male unable longer to be of use for
breeding purposes.

Daniel Webster, lessees' agent at tlie seal islands (see affidavit in
Appendix) :

There was never while I have been on the islands any scarcity of vigoroiis bulls,
there always being a sufiicient number to fertilize all the cows coming to the islands.
It was al vays borne in mind by those ou the islands that a sufficient number of males
must be preserved for breeding purposes, and this accounts partly for the lowering
of the standard weight of skins in 1888. The season of 1891 showed that male seals
had certainly been in sufficient number the year before, because the pups on the
rookeries were as many as should be for the number of cows landing, the ratio
being the same as in former years. Then, too, there was a surplus of vigorous bulla
in 1891 who could obtain no cows.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 23

W. H. Williams, Treasury agent:

Duriug the season of 1891 nearly every mature female coming upon the rookeries
gave birth to a young seal, and there was great abundance of males of sufficient age
to again go upon the breeding grounds that year, as was shown by the inability of
large numbers of them to secure more than one to five cows each, while quite a num-
ber could secure none at all. My investigation confirms what has been so often said
by others who have reported upon this subject, and that is that the Pribilof Islands
are the great breeding grounds of the fur seals, and that they can be reared in great
numbers on said islands, and at the same time, under wise and judicious restrictions,
a certain number of male seals can be killed from year to year without injury to the
breeding herds, and their skins disposed of for commercial purposes, thereby building
up and perpetuating this great industry indefinitely, and thus adding to the wealth,
happiness, and comfort of the civilized world, while, on the other hand, if pelagic
hunting of this animal is to continue, and the barbarous practice of killing the
mother seal with her unborn young, or when she is rearing it, la to go on, it will be
but a very short time before the fur seal will practically become extinct and this val-
uable industry will pass out (ff existence.

There is the testimony of twenty men who have been on the seal islands
for years, some of them being born and raised there, and several of them
having had from fifteen to twenty-five years exi^erience, while every one
of them have been directly interested in the business either for the
Government or for the lessees, and two of them, at least, are natural-
ists of repute, who could not be induced under any circumstances to
vary from the truth and facts as they tbund them.

I have made the quotations from the " Case of the United States," as
it was prepared for the United States counsel before the Tribunal of
Arbitration, and I could quote many others to the same purpose were
it necessary.

Being personally acquainted with most of the gentlemen named, and
knowing the truth of their several statements, I deem it quite unneces-
sary to add another name from the scores at hand.

DEAD PUPS.

Assuming then that the "dearth of bulls" theory has been disproved
and disposed of, we will now take up the subject of dead pups on the
islands, and show that until the work of the pelagic sealer in Bering
Sea became an industry of some importance, dead pups by the thousands,
or by the acre, were unheard of and unknown ; but as the pelagic sealing
industry flourished and grew, and the fleet of schooners multiplied and
doubled in numbers from year to year, the number of dead pups was
found to increase on the rookeries in the same proportion.

That this proposition has been, and may still be, denied by the inter-
ested ones; that men may be found who will swear to the contrary is
already conceded by me, for I have met them who did it; but, in every
instance, they were men whose whole interest, capital, and labor were
engaged in the business of seal hunting, and who would follow a seal
wherever it went, on land or water, unless the strong hand of a power
superior to their own intervened to prevent them.

Another class, in which are to be found men of the highest intelligence
and personal honor, argue that possibly a stampede or an epidemic, or
something else of which we may not be aware, is at the bottom of the
trouble.

Of the latter class are the British Bering Sea Commissioners, and I
quote them in full :

(D— MORTALITY OF YOUNG SEALS IN 1891.

344. In the season of 1891 considerable numbers of dead pups were found in certain
places upon the rookery grounds or in their vicinity and various hyjiotheses were
advanced to account for this unusual mortality. As some of these have special
bearings on the general question of seal preservation, it may be well to devote a few
words to this particular subject.

24 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

345. In order to exhibit the circumstances surronnding this fact and to arrive at a
probable exphmation of its true meaning, it will be necessary in the first instance
to give in summarized form tlie observations and notes bearing upon it made on the
ground by ourselves.

346. When visiting Tolstoi rookery, St. Paul Island, on the 29th of July, we
observed and called attention to several hundred dead pups which lay scattered
about in a limited area on a smooth slope near the northern or inland end of the
rookery ground and at some little distance from the shore. The bodies were partly
decomposed and appeared to have lain where louud for a week or more, which would
place the actual date of the death of the pups, say, between the 15th and 20th of
July. Neither the Government agent who was with us, nor the natives forming our
boat's crew at the time, would at lirst believe that the objects seen on the rookery
were dead pups, affirming that they were stones ; but when it became clearly apparent
that this was not the case they could suggest as causes of death only overrunning
by bulls or surf along the shore, neither one of which appeared to us at the time to
be satisfactory. Mr. D. Webster, interrogated on the subject some days later on
St. George Island, offered merely the same suggestions, but a few days still later,
both whites and natives on the islands were found to have developed quite other
opinions and to be ready to attribute the deaths to the operations of pelagic sealers
killing mothers while oif at sea and leading to the death of pups from starvation
consequent on such killing.

347. Believing the matter to be one of considerable importance, however, it might
be explained, particular attention was paid to It on subsequent visits to rookeries.
On the 3l8tof July and the latof August the rookeries of St. George were inspected,
but no similar appearances were found, nor was anything of the same kind again
seen till the 4th of August, on Polavina rookery, St. Paul Island, where, near the
southern extremity of the rookery, several hundred dead pups were again found by
us, here also covering an area of limited size, which we were able to examine care-
fully without disturbing the breeding seals. It was estimated that the pups here
found had died between ten days and two weeks before, which would place the actual
date of death at about the same time with that of those first referred to.

348. On the following day the extensive rookeries of Northeast Point were visited
and examined, but very few dead pups were anywhere seen. Mr. Fowler, in charge
of these rookeries for the company, was specially questioned on this point, and fully
confirmed the negative observations made by ourselves at the time. It may here
be mentioned that the vicinity of Northeast Point had been the principal and only
notable locality from which, up to this date, sealing vessels had been sighted in the
offing or had been reported as shooting seals within hearing of the shore.

349. On the 19th of August, after a cruise to the nortliward of about a fortnight's
duration, we returned to St. Paul and on the same day revisited Tolstoi rookery.
On this occasion the dead pups previously noted were still to be seen, but the bodies
were flattened out and more or less covered with sand by the continuous movement
of the living seals. There were, however, on and near the same place, and particu-
larly near the angle between Tolstoi rookery and the sands of English Bay, many
more dead pups, larger in size than those first noted and scarcely distinguishable in
this respect from the living pups, which were then "podded out" in great nximbers
in the immediate neighborhood. Messrs. Fowler and Murray, who accompanied us
on this occasion, admitted the mortality to be local, and the first-named gentleman
stated that in his long experience he had never seen anything of the kind before, and
suggested that the mothers from this special locality might have gone to some par-
ticular "feeding bank" and have there been killed together by sea sealers. On the
same day we visited the Reef rookery again, and a search was made there for dead
pups, which resulted in the discovery of some of approximately the same size with
those last mentioned, but probably not more than an eighth, and certainly not more
than one-fourth in number as compared with the inner end of the Tolstoi rookery
ground, and proportionately in both cases to the number of living pups.

350. While making a third inspection of the St. Paul rookeries in September, on
the 15th of that month, the Reef and Northeast Point rookeries were again specially
examined. The rookery ground of the southeastern side of the Reef Point was
carefully inspected, area by area, with field glasses, from the various rocky points
which overlook it, and from which the whole field is visible in detail save certain
narrow, stony slopes close to the sea edge, where dead pups might have been hidden
from view among the bowlders. Subsequently, the northeastern sloping ground,
named Garbotch on the plans, being at that date merely occupied by scattered groups
of seals, was walked over. The result of the inspection was to show that there were
on the southeast side a few dozen dead pups at the most in sight, wliileon the oppo-
site side perhaps a hundred in all were found in the area gone over, being, probably,
the same with those seen here the previous month, and in number or contiguity not
in any way comparable with those seen at the inner end of Tolstoi.

351. On the same day a final visit was made to the Northeast Point rookeries, then
in ch-arge of three natives only. Two of these men went over the ground with us

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 25

and were qtiestioned on various snbiects, including that of dead pups, through our
Aleut interpreter. They would not admit that they had seen any great number of
dead pups on the northeast part this season, and did not seem to be in any way
impressed with the idea that there had been any unusual mortality there. The
ground to the north of Hutchinson Hill was, however, carefully examined by us
from the slopes of the hill, and a few dead pups were made out there. Again, at a
place to the north of Sea Lion Neck of the plans, and beyond the sand beach upon
which holluschickie generally haul out, a slow advance was made among a large
herd of females and pups, though part of these were necessarily driven off tlio
ground in so doing. An occupied area of rookery was thus walked over, and the
dead pups which appeared at this spot to be unusually abundant were counted with
approximate accuracy. A very few were found scattered over the general surface,
but on approaching the shore edge an area of about 20,000 square feet was noted, in
which about 100 dead pups were assembled. Some of these lay within reach of the
Burf at high tide. Most appeared to have been dead for at least ten days, and sev-
eral were broken up and uumgled by tlie movement of the living seals on and about
them. This particular locality showed a greater number of dead pups to area than
any other seen at this time eitlier on the Northeast or Reef rookeries, but in number
in no respect com]iarable to that previously noted at Tolstoi, or even to that on the
south part of Polavina.

352. We were informed on this our last visit to the Pribilof Islands that subse-
quent to our discovery of and comments upon the dead pups at the two last-mentioned
places, the attention of Mr. J. Stanley Brown (who was engaged during the summer
in making a special examination of the rookeries for the United States Government)
was called to the circumstance, and that he undertook some further examination of
it, of which the result will no doubt eventually be rendered available. Dr. Acland,
who had just been installed as medical ofticer on St. Paul, also told us that he had,
within a few days, examined the bodies of six of the pups from Tolstoi, and that
though rather too much decomposed for correct autopsy, he had been unable to find
any signs of disease, but that all these examined were very thin and without food in
the stomachs.

353. It may be noted here that the carcasses thus examined must have been those
of pups which had died in the month of September, or when no sealing schooners
remained in Bering Sea.

354. The body of a pup found by us on the Northeast rookery on the 5th of August,
which was still undecomposed, was preserved in alcohol, and has since been sub-
mitted to Dr. A. Gunther, F. R. S., of the British Museum, who kindly offered to
make an examination of it. This is quoted at length in Appendix (D). The stom-
ach was found to contain no food. The body was well nourished, with a fair amount
of fat in the subcutaneous tissue, but no fat about the abdominal organs. The
lungs and windpipe were found in an inflammatory condition. Respecting the actual
cause of death, Dr. Gunther says : " Both the absence of food as well as the condi-
tion of the respiratory organs are sufficient to account for the death of the animal;
but which of the two was the primary cause, preceding the other, it is impossible
to say."

355. It would bo inappropriate here to enter into any lengthened discussion of the
bearings of the above facts on the methods of sealing at sea; but as, after the ten-
tative adoption of various hypotheses, the mortality of the young seals was with a
remarkable unanimity attributed to pelagic sealing by the gentlemen in any way
connected with the breeding islands, and as it has since been widely and consistently
advertised in the press as a further and striking proof of the destructiveness of pela-
gic sealing, it may be permissible to allude to a few cogent reasons, because of
which the subject seeme at least to require consideration of a much more careful and
searching kind :

(1) The death of so many young seals on the islands in 1891 was wholly excep-
tional and unprecedented, and it occurred in the very season during which, in
accordance with the modus vivendi, every effort was being made to drive all pelagic
sealers from Bering Sea. Those familiar with the islands were evidently puzzled
and surprised when their attention was first drawn to it, and were for some time in
doubt as to what cause it might be attributed.

(2) The explanation at length very unanimously concurred in by them, viz, that
the young had died because their mothers had been killed at sea, rests wholly upon
the assumption that each female will suckle only its own young one, an assumption
which appears to be at least very doubtful, and which has already been discussed.

(3) The mortality was at first local, and though later a certain numlter of dead
pups were found on various rookeries examined, nothing of a character comparable
with that on Tolstoi rookery was discovered.

(4) The mortality first observed on Tolstoi and Polavina was at too early a date
to enable it to be reasonably explained by the killing of mothers at sea. It t)ccurred,
as already explained, about the 15th or 20th of .Tuly, at a time at which, according
to the generally accepted dates as well as our own observations in 1891, the females

26 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

had not begun to lo;ivc llie rookeries in large numbers, or, when leaving them, to do
no more than swim or play about close to the shore. It has already been stated that
Bryant gives the 25th of July as the opening of the period iu which the females
begiu to leave the rookeries. Maynard states that the bulls, cows, and pups remain
within the rookery limits to the same date, Avhile Elliott places this change in the
rookeries between the end of July and the 5th and 8th of August. It is, moreover,
acknowledged by the best authorities that the dates in seal life upon the islands
have become later rather than earlier in recent years, as compared with those in
which the dates above cited were ascertained. In the case of the death of pups after
the middle of August, it might be an admissible hypothesis that the mothers had
been killed at sea and that subsequently to such killing the young had had time to
starve to death, but not at dates earlier than this. In the present case the mortality
began long before that date, and it seems probable that the deaths which occurred
later must be explained by the same cause, whatever it may have been, extending
from the original localities and becoming more general

356. The causes to which the mortality noted may be attributed with greatest
probability are the following, but the evidence at present at disposal scarcely admits
of a final attribution to one or other of them. If, however, the examination made
by Dr. Acland of several of the carcasses be considered as indicative of the state of
the whole, one of the two first is likely to afford the correct explanation :

(a) It is well known that in consequence of the decreased number of killables
found on the hauling grounds in late years it has been found necessary to collect
these close to and even on the edges of the breeding rookeries, and that it has thus
been impossible to avoid the collection and driving to the killing grounds, with the
killables, of all sorts of seals not required, including seceatchie and females. It is
also known that the driving and killing in the early part of the season of 1891 was
pushed with unwonted energy, taking into consideration the reduced number of
seals, and it appears to be quite possible that the females thus driven from their
young, though afterwards turned away from the killing grounds in an exhausted
and thoroughly terrified state, never afterwards found their way back to their orig-
inal breeding places, but either went off to sea or landed elsewhere. The places
where the greatest number of dead pups were first seen on Tolstoi and Polavina were
just those from the immediate vicinity of which drives were most frequently made.

(b) The appearances, indicating a local beginning and greatest intensity of mor-
tality, with its subsequent extension to greater areas, might reasonably be explained
by the origination and transmission of some disease of an epidemic character.

(c) The circumstances where the mortality was observed to be greatest appeared
to be such as to be explicable by a panic and stampede, with consequent overrunning
of the young; but, if so, such stampedes must have occurred more than once. They
might not improbably have resulted from attempts to collect drives too near the
breeding rookeries.

(d) It is entirely within the bounds of probability that raiders may have landed
on at least Tolstoi and Polavina rookeries without anyone upon the islands becoming
cognizant of the fact. Females would in such a case be killed iu greatest numbers, for
these occupy the stations most easily got at from the seaside, and the killing upon
the rookery ground would also unavoidably have resulted in stampeding large num-
bers of seals of all classes. (Reportof British Bering Sea Commissioners, pp. 61-64.)

A brief review of the salient points of the foregoing will not be out
of place at the present time, even though the Tribunal of Arbitration,
before which they were considered and upon which they exerted an
influence perhaps, is now a thing of the past.

In section 340 they tell us :

We observed and called attention to several hundred dead pupa. * • » The
bodies were partly decomposed and appeared to have lain where found for a week or
more. * * * Neither the Government agent who was with us nor the natives
forming our boat's crew at the time would at first believe that the objects seen on
the rookery were dead pups, affirming that they were stones.

jSTow, all that seems plain enough, but does it not sound rather ludi-
crous, to say the least, when it is alleged by any man that a boat's crew
of native sealers, whose life work is the handllTig of seals, could not tell
the difference between the decomi^osed carcass of a pup seal and a stone,
when those who had never been to the seal islands before saw the dif-
ference at a glance? The commissioners continue:

The bodies were partly decomi)o8ed and appeared to have lain where found for a
■week or more.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. Zi

To anyone not knowing the real conditions existing at Tolstoi rookery
on that particular 20th of July, the words quoted would imply that the
men who "found" the bodies of the ''decomposed pups" were walking
around on the rookery, but the truth is we did not land on Tolstoi rook-
ery at all during the 29th of July, nor did we find any dead pups that
had been lying there for a week or more, nor did we tind any.

As I was the Government agent who accompanied the commissioners
and was in charge of the boat's crew of natives, I aflirm that we sailed
from the village landing to Zapadnie or Southwest Bay, where we
landed and walked on the rookery without seeing any dead pups; and
afterwards we sailed from Zapadnie and followed the trend of the shore
all around English Bay and over to Tolstoi, without making a lauding
till we arrived home at the village. It was while we ^^ere passing Tol-
stoi someone asked the question, "What is that up there on the side-
hill?" Field glasses were used by several of the men, and some said
the objects pointed at were dead seals, some said "dead pups," and some
claimed they were not certain whether they were bones or rocks.

Let it be borne in mind that we were looking at a very steep hill,
broken and rocky; that we were from 200 to 300 yards ouib from land,
and in a boat that was on a choppy "sea, and therefore in constant
motion, and it will be readily understood why the native sealers were
so dull about dead pups on Tolstoi rookery.

In section 349 they tell us that —

On the loth of August * * * we returned to St. Paul, and on the same day
revisited Tolstoi rookery. * * * Messrs. Fowler and Murray, who accompanied
US on this occasion, admitted the mortality to be local, and the first-named gentle-
man stated that in Lis long experience he had never seen anything of the kind
before, and suggested that the mothers from this special locality might have gone to
Bome particular "feeding hank" and have been killed together by sea sealers.

Without attempting to enter into an argument of what we actually
saw and said that day on Tolstoi rookery, I will say that it is true we.
Fowler, Murray, and Barnes, were astonished at the number of dead
pups we beheld, a number far exceeding anything we had ever seen
before, and it was in that spirit of astonishment that Mr. Fowler said
he never saw the like, meaning that he never saw so many at one time,
which is very easily accounted for now by the well-known fact that in
no year previous to 1891 were so many seals killed and taken by pelagic
sealers, as may be seen by a reference to the following table :

Table of pelagic catch from 18G8 to 1894, both inclusive, from the ient authorities and
sources of information, revised and corrected to date.

Year.

Number.

Tear.

Number.

Tear.

Nttmber.

Tear.

Number.

1808

4,307
4,430
8,686
16,911
5,336
5,229
6,873

1875

5,033
5,515
5,210
5,544
8,807
8,910
10, 382

18S2

15,551
10, 585
17, 183
24, 960
38, 994
40, 628
26, 915

1889

43, 158

1869 ....

1876

1883

1890

51.814

1870

1877

1884

1891

69, 788

1871

1878

1 1885

1892

73, 394

1872

1 1879

1886

1893

1894

109, 000

1873

1880

1887

142, 000

1874

1881

1888

The real number taken in 1891 was 78,000, but only those actually
sold in London are counted here, and, as there is no doubt that from 80
to 90 per cent of the total catch were female seals, it is not to be won-
dered at that from 20,000 to 30,000 pups were found dead on the rook-
eries in the fall of that year.

28 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

What Mr. Murray did say on that memorable 19th of August, 1891,
is a matter of record, as follows :

Accompanied by Agent Barnes, Mr. Fowler, of the Nortli American Commercial
Company, anrl by the British commissioners, I visited Tolstoi rookery on August 19,
and we found thousands of dead pups, covering a space of about 5 acres, and their
mothers had disappeared. Dr. Dawson, one of the commissioners, took kodak views
of the place, and when he asked me what I thought was the cause of their death, I
answered, " Their mothers have been killed at sea."

Since I left St. Paul Island I have received a letter from Agent Barnes, in which
he says: " You remember the appearance of Tolstoi? I visited Halfway Point along
with Mr. Fowler and found the same state of aftairs, or worse; and those who have
been to Northeast Point say it is still worse there."

Bearing in mind that Northeast Point is the largest rookery in the world, it is no
exaggeration to say that between 20,000 and 30,000 pui)S are lying dead at St. Paul
Island whose motLJprs were slaughtered by sealing schooners in the open sea and the
pups left to starve upon the rookeries.

The theory of an occasional epidemic among the seals has been broached, and
plausible arguments advanced to prove that the decrease in seal life can be accounted
for without blaming the sealing schooners, but as the "oldest inhabitant" on the
islands has no recollection of anything of the sort, and as no one ever saw a dozen
dead cows on any rookery, it is safe to say there is no foundation for or truth in
the epidemic theory. (Murray's Report, 1891, Senate Ex. Doc. No. 107, Fifty-sec-
ond Congress, second session.)

It does not seem possible that the person who wrote in 1891 the report
from which the foregoing has been copied could have "admitted the
mortality to be local," and, as a matter of fact, he never did. On the
contrary, because of a thirty months' continuous residence on the islands
and a personal acquaintance and very intimate and friendly relations
with every person on both, I was well aware of the annual increase of
dead pups on the rookeries from the time of the first-confirmed shrink-
age of the seal herd in 1886. That the terrible sight which met our
gaze on Tolstoi rookery should have caused exclamations of suriirise
from all of us, who knew its real meaning, is not to be wondered at, I
think, for the starved carcasses emphasized the fact that in spite of
the efforts of the fleets of the United States and of Great Britain, the
pelagic sealers' deadly work was being done with an energy and suc-
cess beyond all preceding seasons, and that unless some other mode of
protection could be devised by the nations directly interested the seal
herd would soon be annihilated.

In section 302 the commissioners say :

Dr. Acland, who had just been installed as medical officer on St. Paul, also told us
that he had within a few days examined the bodies of six of the pups from Tolstoi ;
* * * he had been unable to find any signs of disease, but that all those examined
were very thin and without food in the stomachs.

Dr. Akerly it was who visited the rookeries and examined the dead
pups, and whose affidavit will be found in the Appendix.
Commenting on section 255, they say:

(1) Tlie death of so many young seals on the islands in 1891 was wholly exceptional
and unprecedented, and it occurred in the very season which, in accordance with the
modus Vivendi, every effort was being made to drive all pelagic sealers from Bering
Sea. Those familiar with the islands were evidently puzzled and surprised when
their attention was first drawn to it, and were for some time in doubt as to what
cause it might be attributed.

It is true we were rather astonished at the number of dead pups on
the rookeries, and being aware " that every effort was being made to
prevent pelagic sealing," we were puzzled to account for it at the time,
for we knew of no cause other than the killing of the females at sea by
which it could be accounted for.

Subsequently, however, we learned of the unprecedented catch made
that iieason by the sealing fleet, and, naturally, we concluded that our

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 29

(Bonjectures were conflrmed. Xor have I had any information since
sufficiently reliable to cause a change of opinion.

(3) The mortality was at first local, and though later a certain number of dead pups
were found at various rookeries examined, nothing of a character comparable with
that on Tolstoi rookery was discovered.

Treasury Agent Barnes, who was on St. Paul Island long after the
commissioners left in the fall, is my authority for saying that the " same
state of aft'airs or worse was found later on Polavina and on Northeast
Point/' the two rookeries visited by him.

(4) The mortality first observed on Tolstoi and Polavina was at too early a date to
enable it to be reasonably explained by the killing of mothers at sea. It occurred,
as already explained, about the 15th or 20th of July, at a time at which, according
to the generally accepted dates, as well as our own observations in 1891, the females
had not begun to leave the rookeries in large numbers, or when leaving them, to do
more than swim or play about close to the shore.

As already shown, there were no dead pups seen — most certainly
nothing worth noting — until August 19.

As the commissioners did not land on either of the seal islands till
the latter end of July — about the 28th, if I remember rightly — I can
not see how they could have personally observed the movements of the
females or the condition of the breeding grounds about the 15th or 20th
of July.

Section 356. (a) It is well known that in consequence of the decreased number of
killables found on the hauling grounds in late years, it has been found necessary to
collect these close to and even on the edges of the breeding rookeries. * * *

It is also known that the driving and killing in the early part of the season of
1891 was pushed with unwonted energy, * * * and it appears to be quite possi-
ble that the females thus driven from their young, though afterwards turned away
from the killing grounds in an exhausted and thoroughly terrified state, never after-
wards found their way back to their original breeding places, but either went off to
sea or landed elsewhere- The places where the greatest number of dead pups w«re
first seen on Tolstoi and Polavina were just those from the immediate vicinity of
which drives were most frequently made.

The reading of the above quotation staggers one who ever had expe-
rience on a rookery or a killing ground.

The "it is well known," is surely unworthy of the commissionerft.

Which of the men on the islands ever said such a thing? Whoever
said that seals were collected close uj) to the breeding grounds? ISo
man who ever made a drive or saw one made. Who is responsible for
the story of the driving of females in the early part of the season of
1891 ? No sealer, of course, for he would know that there are no females
on the rookeries in the early part of the season.

The commissioners found more dead pups on Tolstoi than on any
other rookery, and th^y endeavor to show that collecting and driving
of seals from near the breeding rookeries and the consequent taking of
some females or the disturbance of the herds caused the death of the
pups.

The island records of all the drives made on St. Paul Island in 1891
are at hand, and I will produce a copy for the purpose of showing that
no drives whatever were made from either Tolstoi or Polavina during
the year 1891 !

And yet the commissioners, who were supposed to make an impartial
report, say:

The places where the greatest number of dead pups were first seen on Tolstoi and
Polavina were just those from the immediate vicinity of which drives were most
frequently made.

The fact is, as may be seen by consulting the records for 1890-91, in
the Appendix, that no drives were made from Polavina since July 13,

30

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

nor from Tolstoi sinc« July 20, 1890; so that, instead of beiug- the
places most driven from, they are the places not driven from at all in
1891.

The following- table, from the oflficial records of the Treasury Depart-
ment, g^ives all of the killings for food and for skins (quota and modu :
Vivendi) from the close of the season July 20, 1890, to the close of the
season August 10, 1891 :

Date,

Oct.

1890.

July 28

Aug. 5
14
23
30

Sept. 6
13
22
29
4
14
22
29

Nov. 14

Dec. 4
1891.

May 15
29

Juno 4
11
11
12
13
13
15
16
17
18
20
25
29

Jtdy 8
13
15
21
27

Aug. 3

5

10

Kookery.

Liikannon . .

Reef

Lulja-nnon..

Reef

do

Lukannon . .

do

do

Middle Hill.
Lukannon..
Middle Hill.

do

do

....do

Reef

Reef

do

Zapadnie

Zapadnie and Reef.
Northeast Point —

Zapadnie

Northeast Point...,

Middle Hill

Northeast Point

Reef ,

Southwest Bay

Reef ,

Middle Hill

Reef

do

do

do

Lukannon

Middle Hill

do

Reef

Northeast Point —
Lukannon

Total.

Seals
killed.

Remarks.

129
123
124
155
110
83
93
110
109
109
114
95
134
255
283

233
114
463
718

1,112
428
430
232
866
842
186

1,027
119
215
400
100
121
122
178
248
118
407
100

10, 805

For food.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.

For food.

Do.

Do.
Quota.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.
Modus Vivendi.

Do.

Do

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Surely this is sufficient to convince every reasonable man that instead
of impartially inquiring into the causes of the decrease of the seal herd
and the best possible method of protection, as was originally intended,
the commissioners have endeavored to screen theresult of the work of
the pelagic sealer by making statements about drives, stampedes, and
epidemics on the islands which the facts do not warrant.

In another chapter will be found quotations, bearing on this phase
of the case, from the argument of United States counsel before the Tri-
bunal of Arbitration, to which I respectfully call the most earnest atten-
tion.

In order to show that the " dead pup" problem was not a new thing
on the islands before the British commissioners "discovered" it in
1891, 1 quote from the testimony of intelligent native chiefs and sealers
and of many agents of the Government and of the lessees, who have had
many years' exi^erience on the seal islands, and they are unanimous iu
saying that previous to 1884 there were practically no dead pups to be
seen on the rookeries; agents who were on the islands previous to 1884

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 31

saw but few or uoue. That, although there were some few drowned in
the surf during heavy wind storms, or trampled to death occasionally
by the fighting bulls, it was not until the pelagic sealer appeared in
Bering Sea that dead pups were found by hundreds and by thousands
and sometimes by the acre.

DEAD PUPS ON THE KOOKERIES.

Dead pups, which seemed to have starved to death, grew very numerous on the
rookeries these latter years, and I noticed when driving the hachelor seal for killing,
as we started them up from the beach, that many small pups, half starved, apparently
motherless, had wandered away from the breeding grounds and become mixed with
the killable seals. The natives called my attention to these waifs, saying that it did
not use to be so, and that the mothers were dead, otherwise they would ho upon the
breeding grotmds. (H. N. Clark, lessees' agent.)

There were a good many dead pups on the rookeries every year I was on the island,
and they seemed to grow more numerous from year to year, because the rookeries
were all ths time growing smaller, and the dead pups in the latter years were more
numerous in proportion to the live ones. (Alex, Hausson, sealer.)

The seals were apparently subject to uo diseases; the pups were always fat and
healthy, the dead ones very rarely seen on or about the rookeries prior to 1884. Upon
my return to the islands in 1886 I was told by my assistants and the natives that a
very large number of pups had perished the preceding season, a part of them dying
upon the islands and others being washed ashore, all seeming to have starved to de.ith.
The same thing occurred in 1886 and in each of the following years to and including
1889. Even before I left the islands, in August, 1886, 1887, and 1888, 1 saw hundreds
of half-starved, bleating, emaciated pups wandering aimlessly about in search of
their dams, and presenting a most pitiable appearance. (H. H. Mclntyre, general
manager.)

But facts came under my observation that soon led me to what I believe to be the
true cause of destruction. For instance, during the period of my residence on St.
George Island, down to the year 1884, there was always a number of dead pups, the
number of which I can not give exactly, as it varied from year to year and was
dependent upon accidents or the destructiveuess of storms. Young seals do not know
how to swim at birth, nor do they learn how for six weeks or two months after
birth, and therefore are at the mercy of the waves during stormy weather. But from
the year 1884 down to the period when I left St. George Island there was a marked
increase in the number of dead pups, amounting, perhaps, to a trebling of the num-
bers observed in former years, so that I would estimate the number of dead pups in
the year 1887 at about 5,000 or 7,000 as a maximum.

During my last two or three years I also noticed among the number of dead
pups an increase of at least 70 per cent of those which were emaciated and ]ioor,
and in my judgment they died from want of nourishment, their mothers having been
killed wliile away from the island feeding, because it is a fact that pups drowned
or killed by accidents were most invariably fat. Learning further, thn^ugh the Lou-
don sales, of the increase in the pelagic sealing, it became my firm conviction that the
constant increase in the number of dead pups and the decrease in the number of
marketable seals and breeding females found on the islands during the years 188.5,
1886, and 1887 were caused by the destruction of female seals in the open sea, either
before or after giving birth to the pups. The mother seals go to feeding grounds
distant from the islands, and I can only account for the number of starved pups by
supposingthat their mothers are killed while feeding. (T.F.Morgan, lessees' agent.)

TIME OF APPEARANCE OF DEAD PUPS.

The loss of life of pup seals on the rookeries up to about 1884 or 1885 was .compara-
tively slight, and was generally attributed to the death of .the mother seal from
natural causes or from their natural enemies in the water, oi* as sometimes hap-
pened, sudden storms with heavy surfs rolling in from certain directions onto the
breeding rookeries ; but never at any time would a sufticient number of pups be
killed to make it the subject of special comment either among the natives or the
employees of the company. (W. S. Hereford, M. D., resident pliysician.)

Between 1874 and 1883 predatory vessels occasionallj' appeared in Bering Sea,
among them the Cygnet in 1874 and" the San Diego in 1876, but the whole number of
seals destroyed by such vessels was small, and had no appreciable effect upon the

32 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

rookeries. In 1884 about 4,000 skins were taken in Bering Sea by three vessels, and
starved pnjis were noticed ni)ou the islands that year for the first time. In 1885
about 10,000 skins were taken in this sea, and the dead pups upon the rookeries
became so numerous as to evoke comment from the natives and others upon the
islands. (H. H. Mclutyrc.)

NO DEAD PUPS PRIOR TO 1884.

Poaching in Bering Sea had not begun in those years (from 1868 to 1876), and it
was a rare thing to find a dead pup about the shores or on the rookeries. I had
frequent occasion, after the close of the breeding season, to visit ail parts of the
island, and there was no api)earance of gaunt or starved seals. Occasionally a dead
pup was found that had been crushed to death by the bulls in their encounters with
each other. (George R. Adams, lessees' agent.)

A dead pup was rarely seen, the dead being a small fraction of 1 per cent to the
whole number of pups. I do not think while I was there I saw in any one season 50
dead pups on the rookeries, and the majority of dead pups were along the shore,
having been killed by the surf. (Charles Bryant, Treasury agent.)

There were not, in 1880, sufficient dead pups scattered over the rookeries to attract
attention or to form a feature on the rookery. (W. H. Dall, naturalist.)

During the time I was on the islands I only saw a very few dead pups on the
rookeries, but the number in 1884 was slightly more than in former years. I never
noticed or examined dead pups on the rookeries before 1884, the number being so
small. (H. A. Glidden, Treasury agent.)

In performing my official duty I frequently visited the breeding rookeries, and
during my entire stay on the island I never saw more than 400 dead pups on all the
rookeries. (Louis Kimmel, Treasury agent, 1882-83.)

I never saw but a few dead pups on the rookeries until the schooners came into
the sea and shot the cows when they went out to feed, and then the dead pups
began to increase on the rookeries. (Nicoli Krukoff, native chief, St. Paul Island.)

I am informed that of late years thousands of young pups have died on the islands
while the season was in progress. Certainly such condition did not exist during my
residence on the Pribilof group. The pups were sometimes trampled upon by the
larger animals, and dead ones might be seen here and there on the rookeries; but
the loss in this particular was never enough or important enough to excite any
special comment. (J. M. Morton, Treasury agent, 1877-78.)

Never while I was on St. George Island did I see a dead pup on the rookeries, and
I certainly should have noticed if there had been any number on the island. (B. F.
Scribner, Treasury agent, 1879-80.)

While I was on the island I never saw more than 25 dead pups on the rookeries
during any one season. I have seen occasionally a dead one among the bowlders
along the shore, which had probably been killed by the surf; but these dead pups
were in no instance emaciated. (George Wardman, Treasury agent, 1881-1885.)

While on St. George Island there were practically no dead pups on the rookeries.
I do not think I saw during any one season more than a dozen. On St. Paul Island
I never saw any dead pups to amount to anything until 1884, and then the number
was quite noticeable. (J. H. Moulton, Treasury agent.)

NUMBER OF DEAD PUPS IN 1891.

One thing which attracted my attention was the immense number of dead young
seals ; another was the presence of quite a number of young seals on all the rook-
eries in an emaciated and apparently very weak condition. I was requested by the
Government agent to examine some of the carcasses for the purpose of determining
the cause or causes of their death. I visited and walked over all the rookeries. On
all, dead seals were to be found in great numbers. Their number was more apparent
on those rookeries, such as Tolstoi and Halfway Point, the water sides of which were
on smooth ground, and the eye could glance over patches of ground hundreds of feet
in extent which were thickly strewn with carcasses.

Where the water side of the rookeries, as at Northwest Point and the reef (south
of the village), were on rocky ground the immense number of dead was not so ap-
parent, but a closer examination showed that the dead were there in ec^ually great
numbers scattered among the rocks. In some localities the ground was so thickly
strewn with the dead that one had to pick his way carefully in order to avoid step-

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 33

ping on the carcasses. The great mass of dead in all cases was within a short dis-
tance of the water's edge. The patches of dead would commence at the water's edge
and stretch iu a wide swath up iuto the rookery. Amoug the immense masses of
ilead were seldom to be found the carcasses of full-grown seals, but the carcasses
were those of pups, or young seals born that year. 1 can give no idea of the exact
number of dead, but I believe that they could only be numbered by the thousands
im each rookery. Along the water's edge and scattered among the dead were quite
a number of live pups, which were in an emaciated condition. Many had hardly the
strength to drag themselves out of one's way; thus contrasting strongly, both in
appearance and actions, with the plump condition and active, aggressive conduct of
the healthy appearing pups. (J. C. S. Akerly, M. D., resident physician.)

In the latter part of July, 1891, my attention was called to a source of waste, the
efficiency of wlaich was most startlingly illustrated. In my conversations with the
natives t had learned that dead pups had been seen upon the rookeries in the past
few years in such numbers as to cause much concern. In the middle of July they
pointed out to me here and there dead pups and others so weak and emaciated that
their death was but a matter of a few days. By the time the British commissioners
arrived the dead pups were iu sufficient abundance to attract their attention, and
they are, I believe, under the impression that they first discovered them.

By the latter part of August deaths were rare, the mortality having practically
ceased. An examination of the warning lists of the combined fleets of British and
American cruisers will show that before the middle of August the last sealing
schooner was sent out of Bering Sea. These vessels had entered the sea about July
1 and had done much eftective work by July 15. The mortality among the pups and
its cessation is synchronous with the sealing fleet's arrival and departure from Bering
Sea.

There are several of the rookeries upon which level areas are so disposed as to be
seen by the eye at a glance. In September Dr. Akerly and I walked directly across
the rookery of Tolstoi, St. Paul, and in addition to the dead pups in siglit, they lay
in groups of from three to a dozen among the obscuring rocks on the hillside. From
a careful examination of every rookery upon the two islands made by me in August
and September, I place the minimum estimate of the dead pups to be 1.5,000, and that
some number between that and 30,000 would represent more nearly a true statement
of the facts. (J. Stanley-Brown, Treasury agent, 1891-92.)

No mention was ever made of any unusualnumber of dead pups upon the rookeries
having been noticed at any time prior to my visit in 1870, but when I again visited the
islands in 1890, I found it a subject of much solicitude by those interested in the per-
petuation, and in 1891 it had assumed such proportions as to cause serious alarm.
The natives making the drives first discovered this trouble, then special agents took
note, and later on 1 think almost everyone who was allowed to visit the rookeries
could not close their eyes or nostrils to the great numbers of dead pups to be seen on
all sides. In company with Special Agent Murray, Captain Hooper, and Engineer
Brerton, of the Coiwin, I visited the Reef and C4arbotch rookeries, St. Paul Island, in
August, 1891, and saw one of the most pitiable sights that I have ever witnessed.
Thousands of dead and dying pups were scattered over the rookeries, while the shores
were lined with emaciated, hungry little fellows, with their eyes turned toward the
sea uttering plaintive cries for their mothers, which were destined never to return.
Numbers of them were opened, their stomachs examined, and the fact revealed that
starvation was the cause of death, no organic disease being apparent. (W. C. Coul-
son, captain, revenue marine.

The schooners increased every year from the time I first noticed them, until in 1884
there was a fleet of 20 or 30, and then I began to see more and more dead pups on
the rookeries, until in 1891 the fleet of sealing schooners numbered more than 100
and the rookeries were covered with dead pups. (John Fratis.)

It was during these years that dead, emaciated pups were first noticed on the rook-
eries, and they increased in numbers until 1891, in which year, in August and Sep-
tember, the rookeries were covered with dead pups. (Edward Hughes, employee of
lessees, 1888-1894.)

On the 19th of Angiist, 1801, I saw the young pups lying dead upon the rookeries
of St. Paul, and I estimated their number to be not less than 30,000; and they had
died from starvation, their mothers having been killed at the feeding grounds by
pelagic hunters. (Joseph Murray, Treasury agent, 1889-1894.)

Q. Have you noticed any dead pups on the rookeries this past season, and in what
proportion to former years? — A. 1 have seen an unusual number of dead pups this
year on the breediusr grounds ; I may say twice as many as formerly. (J. C Redpiith,
lessees' agent, 1875^1894.)

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 3

34 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

CAUSE OF DEATH OF PUPS.

Q. Did yon see any dead pups on the rookeries this season? — A. Yes; my attention
was called to the matter by J. Stanley-Brown, who requested me to examine them
with a view to determining the cause of their death. I examined a number which
had api)arently recently died. Their bodies were entirely destitute of fat, and no
food to be found in their stomachs. After a careful examination I found no evidence
of disease.

Q. What do you assign as the cause of their death? — A. I believe them to have
died of starvation.

Q. Why do you think they died of starvation? — A. From the fact that nearly all
the dead on the rookery were pups, and from absence of all signs of disease, emaciated
condition of their bodies, and absence of food from their stomachs. (J. C. S. Akerly,
M. D.)

There were a great many dead pups on the rookeries during my last three years on
St. Paul Island. Many of them wandered helplessly about, away from the groups
or pods where they were accustomed to lie, and finally starved to death. We knew
at the time what killed them, for the vessels and boats were several times plainly in
sight from the island shooting seals in water, and the revenue cutters and company's
vessels arriving at the island frequently reported their presence in Bering Sea, and
sometimes the capture of these maraudiuji crews. If all had been captured and the
business broken up the seal rookeries would be healthy and prosperous to-day, instead
of being depleted and broken up. I speak positively about it, because no other cause
can be assigned for their depiction upon any reasonable hypothesis. (W. C. Allis,
lessees' agent.

Dr. Akerly, the lessees' physician at the time, made an autopsy of some of the
carcasses aud reported that he could find no traces of any diseased condition what-
ever, but there was an entire absence of food or any signs of nourishment in the
stomach. Before Dr. Dawson left I called his attention to what Dr. Akerly had
done, but whether he saw him on the subject I can not tell. (Milton Barnes, Treas-
ury agent.)

I procured a number of these pups, and Dr. Akerly, at my request, made autop-
sies, not only at the village, but later on upon the rookeries themselves. The lungs
of these dead pups fioated in water. There was no organic disease of heart, liver,
lungs, stomach, or alimentary canal. In the latter there was but little and often no
fecal matter, and the stomach was entirely empty. Pups in the last stage of emacia-
tion were seen by me upon the rookeries, and their condition, as well as that of the
dead ones, left no room to doubt that their death was caused by starvation. (J.
Stanley-Brown.)

The pups on the rookeries were fat and healthy, and while I was on the islands no
epidemic disease ever appeared among them, nor did the natives have stories of
an epidemic ever destroying them. (Charles Bryant, Treasury agent, 1869-1877.)

I was informed at the time (November, 1891) that the stomachs of dead pups had
been examined by the medical officers at the island and no traces of food found
therein. From personal observation I am of the opinion that fully 90 per cent of
them died of starvation, great emaciation being apparent. (John C. Cantwell,
revenue marine.)

I have never known of any sickness or epidemic among the seals, and I am of the
opinion that the thousands of dead pups on the rookeries last year died of starva-
tion on account of their mothers being shot and killed while feeding at the fishing
banks in the sea. I was present last year and saw some of the dead pups examined.
Their stomachs were empty, and they presented all the appearances of starvation.
I also noticed on the rookeries a great many emaciated pups, which on a later visit
would be dead. It has always been the practice prior to 1891 for the natives to kill
3,000 to 4,000 pups in November for food, and we always find their stomachs filled
with milk. (C. L. Fowler, lessees' agent.)

It is my opinion that the cows are killed by the hunters when they go out in the
sea to feed, aud the pups are left to die and do die on the island. (John Fratis, native
sealer.)

They were thin, poor, and appeared to have starved to death. (Alex. Hanssen,
sealer.)

It is a well-known fact that the female seals leave the islands and go great dis-
tances for food, and it is clearly proven that many of them do not return, as the
number of pups starved to death on the rookeries demonstrates. (W. S. Hereford,
M. D.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 35

For if the inotlier seals are destroyed their young can not but perish ; no other dam
will suekie them; nor cau they subsist until at least 3 or 4 mouths old without
the mother's milk. The loss of this vast number of pups, amounting to many thou-
sands, wo could attribute to no other cause than the death of the mother at the hands
of pelagic seal hunters. (H. H. Mclntyre.)

Q. How do you account for this? — A. I think the cows were killed by the poach-
ers while away from the rookeries, and as mother seals nurse none but their own
youug, consequently the pups whose mothers were killed die from starvation.
(Antoue Melovedoff, native chief.)

The seals are never visited by physical disorders of any kind, so far ae I could
ascertain, and I have never seen on their bodies any blemishes, humors, or eruptions
which might be attributed to disease. (John M. Morton.)

These latter pups I examined, and they seemed to be very much emaciated. In
my opinion, they died of starvation, caused by the mothers having been shot while
absent from the islands feeding. Another cause of their starving is because a cow
refuses to give suck to any pup but her own, and she recognizes her oflspriug by
its cry, distinguishing its voice from that of hundreds of others which are con-
stantly bleating. (J. H. Moultou.)

The epidemic theory was urged very strongly in 1891, when the rookeries were
found covered with dead pups, but a careful and technical examination was made
of several of the dead bodies without discovering a trace of organic disease, while
starvation was so apj)arent that those who examined them decided that it was the
true cause of their death. Had sickness or disease attacked the seal herd, it is only
reasonable to suppose a few grown seals would be found dead where so many youug
ones had died so suddenly, but the most diligent search has i'ailed to find a grown
seal dead upon the islands from unknown causes. From the discovery of the islands
until the present time the flesh of the fur seal has been the daily meat ration of the
natives and of the white people, and yet it is a fact that a tainted or diseased carcass
has never been known. (L, A. Noyes, M. D., resident physician, 1880-1894.)

Some of these losses Avere due to their perhaps too early attempts to swim. When
the pup is a few months old the mother seal conducts it to the water and teaches it
to swim near the shore. If a heavy sea is encoimtered the weak little pup is liable
to be thrown by the surf against the rocks and killed, but under natural conditions,
and with the protection to the rookeries formerly enforced at the islands, the losses
from this cause and all others combined (save alone the authorized killing) amounted
•to an infinitesimal percentage of the whole numbers in the herds. (H. G. Otis,
Treasury agent, 1879-1881.)

Another theory, equally untrue, was that an epidemic had seized the herd; but
investigations of the closest kind have never revealed the death on the islands of a
full-grown seal from unknown causes. Let it be remembered that the flesh of the
seal is the staple diet of the natives, and that it is eaten daily by most of the white
employees as well; and yet it is true that a sign of taint or disease has never been
found on a seal carcass in the memory of man. It was not until so many thousands
of dead pups were found upon the rookeries that the problem was solved. The truth
18, that when the cows go out to the feeding grounds to feed, they are shot and killed
by the pelagic hunter, and the pups, deprived of sustenance, die upon the rookeries.
Excepting a few pups killed by the surf occasionally, it has been demonstrated that
all the pups found dead are poor and starved, and when examined their stomachs are
found to be without a sign of food of any sort. The resident physician, Dr. Akerly,
examined many of them, and found in every instance that starvation was the cause
of death. (J. C. Redpath.)

A double waste occurs when the mother seal is killed, as the pup will surely starve
to death. A mother seal will give sustenance to no pup but her own. I saw sad
evidences of this waste on St. Paul Island last season, where large numbers of pups
were lying about the rookeries, where they had died of starvation. (Commander
Z.L. Tanner, U.S.N.)

I never heard of any disease among the seal herd, nor of an epidemic of any sort or
at any time in the history of the islands. (Daniel Webster, lessees' agent, 1868-1894.)

If the mother of a youug seal is killed, the pup is very likely to die. It will be so
weak that the storm will dash it ashore and kill it, or it may die of starvation. I
have seen pups hardly larger than a rat from lack of nourishment. A starved or
neglected orphan pup is nearly sure to die. At one storm the natives found over 300
pups washed ashore in a little cove, aud the water around was full of dead pups. It
is certain that nearly all the dead pups were orphans. The female seal when suckling
her young has to go out into the ocean in search of food, and it is those animals, or
females on the way to the breeding grounds to give birth to the young, that we kill
in the Bering Sea. (T. T. Williams, quoting Captain Olsen.)

36 ALASKA mDUSTRIES.

The foregoing quotations are from the affidavits and reports of men
who, through years ol experience, gained a practical knowledge of fur-
seal life in all its details, and who therefore know of what they speak
beyond the possibility of successful contradiction.

It may be urged by our opponents that the testimony is that of men
who are neither learned nor scientific, and who, being employed by
either the Government or the lessees, had private and personal interests
to subserve.

For the purpose of meeting such objections, and to show how the
practical and scientific are agreed in this matter, I will here introduce a
paper written by a well-known naturalist, who has had many years
practical experience among the fur seals on the Commander Islands,
and who has not now, nor ever had, any interest in the Pribilof Islands
or the Alaskan seal herd.

His testimony is therefore the more valuable, and it will be found
that it confirms my position in every particular:

DEPOSITION OF NICHOLAS A. GREBNITZKl/ RUSSIAN MIIilTABY CHIEF OF THE COM-
MANDER ISLANDS.

I, Nicholas A. Grebnitzki, Russian military chief of the Commander Islands dis-
trict, with the rank of colonel, make the following statement:

I have been residing on the Commander Islands and have directed all sealing oper-
ations there for the last fifteen years, and during this whole period have been absent
from the islands but very little. I have carefully observed seal life, the condition of
the rookeries, and the method of taking seals at all seasons and under all conditions,
■with the object of keeping the Russian Government thoroughly informed as to its
sealing interests and the proper management of the same.

While I have never had the opportunity to examine the Pribilof Islands seals, yet
I do not hesitate to express the opinion that that herd and the Commander Islands
herd are distinct and do not mingle at all. There are some natives on the islands
who are familiar with both, and who state that there is a marked difference in the
animals. Besides, my studies as a naturalist enable me to state that it would be
contrary to all reason to suppose that they mingle with one another. The Com-
mander herd approaches very closely to the Robben Island herd in winter, and yet
it does not mingle with it. Of this I am sure, for I have charge of Robben Island
as well as of the Commander Islands, and know the skins of the two herds to be dif-
ferent. The skin of the Commander seal is thicker, has coarser hair, is of a lighter
color, and weighs about 20 per cent more than a Robben ekin of the same size.

It is wholly improbable that the seals of the Commander herd visit any land other
than the Commander Islands. I believe they regard these an their home, these islands
beiTig peculiarly adai)ted to their needs at the period to bring forth their young and
of breeding. The fact that the Robben Island herd still frequents Robben Island
to the exclusion of any other land, notwithstanding it has been subjected there to
the utmost persecution, shows to my mind conclusively that the presence of man
will not prevent a seal herd from returning to the same land year after year. Even
if isolated cases have occurred (I know of none) in which for various causes a few
of the Commander Islands seals reached other shores, such exceptions would not dis-
prove the general rule above stated. I can readily understand that a female which
had been wounded in the water might be subject (sic) to seek the nearest land and
there give birth to her pup.

Annually, at almost stated periods, they arrive at the islands and immediately pro-
ceed to occupy the same grounds which have been occupied during past years in a
way which makes it impossible to doubt that they are familiar with the locality. I
believe that at some time during the year every seal conies ashore. There is no reason
to believe that a certain number of any class remain swimming about in the ueigh-
borliood of the islands all summer without landing, although there is considerable
difference in the time at which different classes arrive.

Soon after landing at the Commander Islands those cows which were fertilized the
year previous give birth to their young. A cow does not, except in very rare instances,
give birth to more than one pup in a season. The birth of pups can only take place

' No written evidence having been produced in the report of the British commis-
sioners in support of the various views attributed to Mr. Grebnitzki, the United
States have deemed it desirable to obtain from that official a written expression from
his views upon seal life in general.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 37

on shore. Cows never arrive at the islands with new-born pups. Bnt the impossi-
bility of birth in the water is best proved by the fact tliat the pup when Orst born is
purely a land animal in all its habits. It does not voluntarily approach the water
till it is several weeks old, and then it is obliged to learn to swim. A surf will some-
times wash the young pups olF the rocks, when they are sure to be drowned. The
pups can not swim at birth, but must be taught by their mothers. A pup would
drown if thrown into the sea before learning to swim.

Copulation in the water I believe to be impossible, for the act is violent, of long
duration, and in general chtiracter similar to that performed by laud animals.

1 believe that the seals leave the vicinity of the islands mainly on account of the
severity of the winter. Of conrse, I do not mean to say that they would remain on
the shore all the year round, as many of them do throughout the whole of the sum-
mer, for they would be obliged to take to the water to obtain food. What I mean is
that they would not go so far away as they now do, but would remain around the
islands, and thus give additional proof ot the unquestionable fact that they regard
them as their home. I base this statement upon the fact that during mild winters I
have myself seen them in large numbers oft' the Commander Islands. They are often
reported about 50 miles south of the westernmost of the Aleutian Islands and the
Kamchatka Coast. This would be in accord with the habits of the seals of the South-
ern Hemisphere, which, I am informed, are found in the same locality, more or less,
at all seasons. The seals generally leave the Commander Islands by the middle of
November, by which time it has become cold and stormy, but in mild winters they
have been on the islands as late as December.

I do not think that fur seals should be classed with wild animals any more than
sheep or cattle when out on large pasturing grounds. Seals, unless needlessly
frightened, become more or less accustomed to the sight of man among them on the
rookeries, and while on land are at all times under his complete control. A few men
can drive a large number of them without difficulty. They are intelligent to a very
high degree, and can be made to become in a short time pets. The breeding males
or bulls are alone aggressive.

Seals are polygamous, and the powers of fertilization of the male are very great.
Since the births are about equally distributed between males and females, it follows
that under natural conditions there would be a great excess of male life over that
actually needed for the propngation of the species, and it is, as in the case of so
many other animals, for the positive benefit of the herd as a whole that a portion of
this excess of male life be killed off before it is of sufficient age to go on the rook-
eries. If not killed olf the competition by the bulls upon the rookeries for females
would be destructive of much life. This competition is already fierce enough.

During some of the years prior to the time of my arrival on the islands there had
been considerable indiscriminate killing of seals without regard to age or sex; but
during the fifteen years of my management of the Commander Islands rookeries all
seals which have been killed constituted a portion of the excess of males above
referred to, and known as bachelors, or holluschickie. This is why the rookeries are
to-day in a much better condition than when I first went to the Commander Islands,
notwithstanding that until the year 1891 a gradually increasing number of large
skins has been taken. From 1886 to 1890 the average annual catch was about 50,000,
the skins all being large. The last two years I have reduced the catches, because I
now think 50,000 skins somewhat in excess of what the rookeries can yield, and for
other causes which I will mention later. I feel very sure that the great cause of
this diminution is pelagic sealing.

This year I have counted over 3,500 skins seized on poaching vessels, and have fonnd
96 per cent to be skins of females. They were skins taken from Commander Island
seals.

As to skins taken near Pribilof Islands I counted the skins seized in the Rosa Olsen
and found two-thirds of them were skins of females. These were taken, as the log
took of the Bosa Olsen shows, over 80 miles from shore.

I consider it a false argument to say that the killing of a proper portion of the
excess of male life is bad, merely because it is an interference with the order of
nature. If not interfered with, nature will produce an overpopulation of the rook-
eries, which would, of course, be a bad thing. By the present mode of killing a
certain number of young males, population is regulated. No facts can be brought
forward to show that this method is not the right one. Past experience shows that
it is right.

The method is not proved to be bad by showing that during some years too many
males may have been killed, and that the rookeries have thereby suffered. When
such mistakes have been made they can be corrected by reducing the number of
males to be killed for a few years ; for the most absolute control can be exercised
over the herd while it is on land. I claim that the method now pursued, when
executed under proper regulations, is in theory and practice the only one by which
sealing can be carried on commercially without injuring the vitality of the herd

38 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

and its ability to maintaiu its numbers at the proper limit. It does not cause the
seals to change their habits in any way, and I do not believe that even an excessive
killing of young males on the islands would have the eflect of altering the habits of
the female seals with regard to landing and cause them to reimiin about the islands
instead of coming on shore.

Cows, except, perhaps, in rare cases of accident or for scientific jiurposes, are
never allowed to be killed on the islands, and the reason for this is that all cows
are needed for breeding purposes. To kill, therefore, any cow except a barren one
(and there are few barren ones except amongst the very old cows) inflicts a much
greater injury on the herd than the loss of a single life. It is not true that because
it is proper to kill a certain number of males it is also proper to kill a certain num-
ber of females. But assuming that it might at some time become desirable to kill
Bome females, it would still be wholly impioper to kill them without regard to size
or condition, as is the case when they are killed in the water.

There is at the present time upon the Commander Islands an abundance of male
life for breeding purposes, and there is no fear that any female will not be served
from lack of virile males. On the other hand, it is undoubtedly true that there were
in 1892 relatively fewer females than in former years, and I attribuijjB this to two
causes: First, to killing of seals in the water, and, second, raids upon the islands.
The first of these causes is by far the more important.

The raids have, owing to the great amount of Ibggy weather, taken place, to a cer-
tain extent, notwithstanding the greatest precautions to guard against them. The
raiders kill males, females, and pups without discrimination; but however injuri-
ously the raids have affected the rookeries still they are of much less importance
than the killing of Commander Islands seals in the water. During the past two sum-
mers, and especially during the last one, this killiug in the waters has become so
great that if allowed to continue in future years the herd will be in danger of
ultimate extinction.

I do not know exactly how wasteful this method may be, from the fact that all the
animals wounded or killed are not captured, though I am told that much loss occurs
in that way, and I know that under certain conditions a seal shot dead will sink at
once. I can state positively, however, from actual experience and personal examina-
tion, that a vast proportion, fully 96 per cent, of the skins taken by this method
during the present year are those of female animals. In addition, a certain number
of the skins so taken are those of very young seals, probably of both sexes, such as
are never killed on land.

Very few of the females killed are barren, no matter when or where they are
killed. Females taken early in the season are generally heavy with young, in which
condition they travel slowly as compared with the other seals. The killing of such
a female involves, of course, the immediate loss of two lives. But even when the
female is taken after she has been on shore and given birth to her young this same
result follows eventually, for a seal will suckle only her own pup, and the pups are
for the first three to five months dependent altogether on their mothers for food.
Consequently when the mothers, who, after the birth of their pups, leave the rookeries
in search of food (traveling sometimes considerable distances, I do not know exactly
how far), fail to return, their pups must necessarily die.

There are always a few dead piips to be found on the rookeries whose death is not
due to that of their mothers; but during the last year or two a greater number of
dead pups have been actually noticed than heretofore, and have attracted the atten-
tion of all persons on the islands who are at all familiar with seal life. It can not
be successfully contended that they all died of natural causes. There is no disease
among the Commander Island seals, and while a certain number of young pups are
always exposed to the danger of being crushed to death (but not as a result of the
drives which are made to collect seals for killing) or of being drowned by the surf,
yet these causes of death will not account for the greater mortality of pups which
took place during the past sunmier. Besides, the bodies of the dead pups 1 refer to
are those of starved animals, being greatly emaciated.

It is chiefly during the next few years that the effects of the recent killing of
females will become most noticeable, because many of the pups which in those years
would have become bachelors or hoUuschickie have never been born or died soon
after birth.

With regard to the driving of the seals from the beaches to the places of slaughter,
while it does not benefit them, yet I believe that there are very few cases in which
it does them any harm even if they are redriven. I am sure it does not render them
impotent. It should be remembered that, unlike the hair seals, they are fairly
adapted to movement on land, as is proved by the fact that they are in some cases
actually driven considerable distances over ground tliat is both rough and steep.

Since the killing of seals in the water is wasteful, and in every sense contrary to
the laws of nature (which require that special protection be aftbrded to the females
and young of all animals), I am of the opinion that it should be entirely forbidden.
If it is only partly suppressed or prohibited within a certain distance from the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 39

islanrle, the evil would not be cured, although its effects might he less noticeable,
for the killing of females, many of them heavy with young, would necessarily con-
tinue, since all experience shows that female animals always codistitute the chief
catch of the open-sea sealer.

Nicholas A. Grebnitzki,
District Chief of the Commander Islands, District St. Petersburg.
(Counter case, United States, p. 362.)

Here we have the testimony of one who is at once a scientist and one
of the most practical of men; a man who has been ofiQcially interested
in the fur-seal industry for many years, and who has devoted a great
part of his life to the scientific and practical study of the species.

Every word he utters shows his intimate knowledge of the subject
treated, and his practical common sense and scientific acumen, coupled
with a breadth of view all his own, gives an extraordinary value to
everything he says on the subject of fur seals.

True, he is interested in the fur-seal industry on the Commander
Islands, belonging to Russia, and for that reason he may fall under the
ban of the hypercritical who seem to suspect the honesty and the
motives of all who have, or ever did have, any connection with the fur-
seal islands on either side of Bering Sea.

That the class of critics alluded to may be silenced on this point I
will introduce the testimony of leading naturalists, which is in full
accord with all that I have already quoted. It will be seen that Dr.
Merriam briefly stated the question at issue to the naturalists of Europe
and asked for their views, which were freely given and which I take the
pleasure of quoting in full.

CIRCULAR LETTER OF DR. C. HART MERRIAM.

Dr. C. Hart Merriam, one of the American Bering Sea commission-
ers, addressed the following circular letter to various leading naturalists
in different parts of the world, for the purpose of obtaining their views
as to the best method of preserving the fur seals of Alaska :

Washington, D. C, April 2, 1892.

Dear Sir: The Government of the United States having selected roe as a natu-
ralist to investigate and report upon the condition of the fur-seal rookeries on the
Pribilof Islands, in Bering Sea, with sjiecial reference 1o the causes of decrease and
the measures necessary for the restoration and pernianeut preservation of the seal
herd, I visited the Pribilof Islands and made an extended investigation of the sub-
ject, the results of which are here briefly outlined.

FACTS IN THE LIFE HISTORY OP THE NORTHERN FUR SEAL (CALLORHINUS URSINUS).

(1) The fur seal is an inhabitant of Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk, where it
breeds on rocky islands. But four breeding colonies are known, namely, (1) the
Pribilof Islands, belonging to the United States ; (2) the Commander Islands, belong-
ing to Russia; (3) Robben Reef, belonging to Russia; and (4) the Kurile Islands,
belonging to Japan. The Pribilof and Commander islands are in Bering Sea;
Robben Reef in the Sea of Okhotsk, near the island of Saghalien, and the Kurile
Islands between Yezo and Kamtchatka. The species is not known to breed in any
other part of the world.

(2) In winter the fur seal migrates into the Nortb Pacific Ocean. The herds from
the Commander Islands, Robben Reef, and the Kurile Islands move south along the
Japan Coast. The Pribilof Islands herd move south through the passes in the Aleu-
tian chain. The old breeding males are not known to range much south of these
islands. The females and young reach the American Coast as far south as California.

(3) Returning, the herds of females move northward along the coast of California,
Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia in Jauuary, February, and March, occur-
ring at varying distances from shore Following the Alaska coast northward and
westward they leave the North Pacific Ocean in June, traversing the passes in the
Aleutian chain, and proceed at once to the Pribilof Islands.

(4) The old (breeding) males reach tlie islands much earlier, the first coming the
first week in April or early in May. They at once land and take stands on the rook-
eries, where they await the arrival of the females. Each male (called a bull) selects

40 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

a large rock, on or near which he remains, unless driven ofl" by stronger hnlls, until
August, never leaving for a single instant, night or day, and taking neither food nor
water. Before the arrival of the females (called cows) the l)ull8 fight savagely among
themselves for positions on the rookeries, and many are severely wounded. All the
bulls are located by June 20.

(5) The pregnant cows begin arriving early in June, and soon appear in large
schools or driives, immense numbers taking their places on the rdokeries each day
between June 12 and the end of the month, varying with the weather. They assem-
ble about tho old bulls in compact groups called harems. I'he harems are complete
early in July, at which time the breeding rookeries attain their maximum size and
compactness.

(6) The cows give birth to their young soon after taking their places on the
harems. The period of gestation is between eleven and twelve months.

(7) A single young is born in each instance. The young at birth are about equally
divided as to sex.

(8) The act of nursing is performed on land ; never in the water. It is necessary,
therefore, for the cows to remain at the islands until the young are weaned, which
is when they are 4 or 5 months old.

(9) The fur seal is polygamous, and the male is at least three times as large as the
female. Each m:ile serves 15 to 25 females.

(1(1) Copulation takes phice on land. Most of the cows are served by the middle
of July, or soon after the birth of their pups. They then take to the water, and
come and go for food while nursing.

(11) The pups huddle together in small groups called pods, at some distance from
the water. When 6 or 8 weeks old they move down to the water's edge and learn to
swim. The pups are not born at sea, and if soon after birth they are washed into
the sea they are drowned.

(12) The cows are believed to take the bull first when two years old, and deliver
their first pup when 3 years old.

(13) Bulls first take stands on the breeding rookeries when 6 or 7 years old.
Before this they are not powerful enough to fight the older bulls for positions on the
harems.

(11) Cows when nursing, and the nonbreediug seals, regularly travel long dis-
tances to feed. They are commonly found 100 to 150 miles from the islands and
sometimes at greater distances.

(15) The food of the fur seal consists of fish, sqnids, crustaceans, and probably
other forms of marine life also.

(16) The great majority of cows, pups, and such of the breeding bulls as hafe not
already gone, leave the islands about the middle of November, the date varying
considerably with the season.

(17) The nonbreediug male seals (holluschickie), together with a few old bulls,
remain until January, and in rare instances oven uutil February.

(18) Tho fur seal as a species is present at the Pribilof Islands eight or nine mouths
of the year, or from two-ihirds to three-fourths of the time, and in mild winters
sometimes during the entire year. The breeding bulls arrive earliest and remain
continuously on the islands about four months; the breeding cows remain about
six mouths, and the nonbreediug male seals about eight or nine months, and some-
times during the entire year.

SKALS KILLED ON THE PIUBILOF ISLANDS.

(19) The only seals killed for commercial purposes at the seal islands are non-
breeding males (under 5 or 6 years of age, called holluschickie). They come up on
the rookeries apart from the breeding seals, and large numbers are present by the
latter part of May. They constantly pass back and forth from the water to the
hauling grounds. These animals are driven by tho natives (Aleuts) from the haul-
ing grounds to the killing grounds, where they are divided up into little groups. Those
selected as of suitable size are killed with a club by a blow on the head ; the others
go into the water and soon reappear on the hauling grounds. In this way about
100,000 young males have been killed annually mi the Pribilof Islands for twenty
years.

(20) In addition to the commercial killing above described, a number of male pupa
were formerly killed each year to furnish food for the natives, but the killing of
pups is now prohibited by the Government.

PRESENT NUMBERS COMPARED WITH FORMER ABUNDANCE.

The rookeries on both St. Paul and St. George islands bear unmistakable evidence
of having undergone great reduction in size during the past few years. This evi-
dence consists (1 ) in the universal testimony of all who saw them at an earlier period,
and (2) in the presence upon the back part of each rookery of a well-marked strip

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

41

or zone of grass-covered land, varying from 100 to 500 feet in width, on which the
Btones and bowlders are flipper-woni and polished by the former movements of the
seals, and the grass is yellowish-green in color and of a different genus {Glyceria
aiKjusUita) from the rank, high gruss usually growing immediately behind it {Ehjmua
mollis). In many places the ground between the tussocks and hummocks of grass is
covered with a thin layer of felting, composed of the shed hairs of the seals matted
down and mixed with excrement, urine, and surface soil. The exact year when this
yellow-grass zone was last oi^cupied by seals is difficult to ascertain, but the bulk of
testimony points to 1886 or 1887. The aggregate size of the areas formerly occupied
is at least four times as great as that of "the present rookeries.

CAUSES WHICH LED TO THE DEPLETION OF THE ROOKERIES.

The seals which move northward along the coast of the northwestern United
States, British Columbia, and southeastern Alaska from January until late in June
are chiefly pregnant females, and about 90 per cent of the seals killed by pelagic
sealers in the North Pacitic are females heavy with young. For obvious reasons
many more seals are wounded than killed outright, and many more that are killed
sink'before they can be reached, and consequently are lost. As each of these contains
a young, it is evident that several are destroyed to every one secured.

For several years the pelagic sealers were content to pursue their destructive work
in the North Pacific, but of late they have entered Bering Sea, where they continue
to capture seals in the water throughout the entire summer. The females killed
during this period are giving milk and are away from the islands in search of food.
Their youun' starve to death on the rookeries. I saw vast numbers of such dead
pups oil the'island of St. Paul last summer (1891), and the total number of their
carcasses remaining on the Pribilof Islands at the end of the season of 1891 has been
estimated by the United States Treasury agents at not less than 20,000.

The number of seal skins actually secured and sold as a result of pelagic sealing is
shown in the following table:

Tear.

Number
of skins.

Tear.

Number
of skins.

Tear.

Numbsr
of skins.

Tear.

Number
of skins.

1872

1,029

(?)
4,949
1,646
2,042

1877

(?)
264

12, 500

13, 600
13, 541

1882

17, 700
9,195
14, 000
13, 000
38, 907

1887

33, 800

1873

1878

1883

1888 ^.

1SH9

36,818

1S7i

1879

1884

39, 563

187t

1880

1885

1890

51, 404

187fi

1881

1886

1891

62, 500

Inasmuch as the number of seals annually secured by pelagic sealing represents
hut a fraction of the total number killed, a glance at the above figures is enough to
show that the destruction of seal life thus produced is alone sufiScientto explain the
present depleted condition of the rookeries.

Pelagic sealing as now condncsted is carried on in the North Pacific Ocean from
January until late in June, and in Bering Sea in July, August, and September.
Some sealing schooners remain as late as November, but they do so for the purpose
of raiding the rookeries.

It has been alleged that overkilling of young males at the islands is a principal
eause of the depleted condition of the rookeries.

In reply to this contention, it is only necessary to bear in mind that the number of
male and female fur seals is equal at birth, that the species is polygamous, and that
each male serves on an average at least 15 to 25 females. It is evident, therefore,
that there must be a great superabundance of males, of which a large percentage
may be killed annually forever without in the slightest degree endangering the pro-
ductiveness of the herd. Furthermore, it has been shown that the killing of seals
at the Pribilof Islands is completely under the control of man and is restricted to
the superfluous males, for selection as to sex and age can be and is exercised, so that
neither females nor breeding males are killed. It is evident that this killing of non-
breeding males' could in no way affect the size or annual product of the breeding
rookeries unless the number killed was so great that enough males were not left to
mature for breeding purposes. There is no evidence that this h.is ever been the case.
Moreover, all seals killed or wounded are invariably secured and their skins mar-
keted ; in other words, there is neither waste of the seal herd nor impairment of the
productiveness of the breeding stock.

Pelagic sealing, on the other baud, is wasteful in the extreme aad is directed to
the fountain head or source of supply. From the very nature of the case, selection
can not be exercised, and a large percentage of seals wounded are lost. Owing to
the peculiar movements of the seal herds, it so happens that about 90 per cent of the
seals killed in the North Pacific are females heavy with young, entailing a destruc-

42 ALASKA INDUSTEIES,

tion of two seal lives for every adult seal killed. In Bering Sea, also, large numbers
of females are taken ; these females are in milk, and their young die of starvation on
the rookeries.

Pelagic sealing as an industry is of recent origin, and may be said to date from
1879. The number of vessels engaged has steadily increased, as has the number of
seals killed, until it appears that unless checked by international legislation the
commercial extermination of the seal is only a matter of a few years. It seems a
fair inference, therefore, that the only way to restore the depleted rookeries to their
former condition is to stop taking seals at sea, and not only in Bering Sea, but in
the North Pacific as well.

Having been selected by my Government solely as a naturalist, and having investi-
gated the facts and arrived at the above conclusions and recommendations from the
standpoint of a naturalist, I desire to know if you agree or differ with me in consid-
ering these conclusions and recommendations justified and necessitated by the facts
in the case.

I shall be greatly obliged if you will favor me with a reply.
Very truly, yours,

C. Haut Merriam.

REPLIES TO 0. HART MERRIAM.
REPLY OF DR. ALPHONSE MILNE EDWARDS.

Paris, April SO, 1893.

SiK: I have read with great interest the letter you addressed me with reference to
the fur seals of Bering Sea, and I think it would be of real advantage to have con-
certed international measures so as to insure an effective protection to those valuable
animals.

To-day the means of transportation at the disposal of the fishermen are so great,
the processes of destruction which they employ are so improved, that the animal
species, the object of their desire, can not escape them. We know that our migra-
tory birds are during their travels exposed to a real war of extermination, and an
ornithological international commission has already examined, not unprofitably, all
the questions relating to their preservation.

Would it not be possible to put fur seals under the protection of the navy of
civilized nations?

What has happened in the Southern Ocean may serve as a warning to us.

Less than a century ago these aimphibia existed there in countless herds. In 1808,
when Fanning visited the islands of South Georgia, one ship left those shores carry-
ing away 14,000 seal stins belonging to the species Arctocephalus australis. He him-
self obtained 57,000 of them, and he estimated at 112,000 the number of these animals
killed during the few weeks the sailors spent there that year.

In 1822 Weddell visits these islands, and he estimates at 1,200,000 the number of
skins obtained in that locality. The same year 320,000 fur seals were killed in the
South Shetlands. The inevitable consequences of this slaughter were a rapid
decrease in the number of these animals. So, in spite of the measures of protection
taken during the last few years by the governor of the Falkland Islands, these seals are
still very rare, and the naturalists of the French expedition of the Romanche remained
for nearly a year at Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands without being able
to capture a single specimen.

It is a source of wealth which is now exhausted.

It will soon be thus with the Callorhiiiua ursinus in the North Pacific Ocean, atid
it is time to insure to these animals a security which may allow them regular
reproduction.

I have followed with much attention the investigation which has been made by
the Government of the United States on this subject, ihe reports of the commis-
sioners sent to the Pribilof Islands have made known to naturalists a very large
number of facts of great scientific interest, and have demonstrated that a regulated
system of killing may be safely applied in the case of these herds of seals when
there is a superfluity of males. What might be called a tax on celibacy was applied
in this way in the most satisfactory manner, and the indefinite preservation of the
species would have been assured if the emigrants, on their way back to their breed-
ing places, had not been attacked and pursued in every way.

There is, then, every reason to turn to account the very complete information which
we possess on the conditions of fur-seal life in order to prevent their annihilation,
and an international commission can alone determine the rules, from which the fisher-
men should not depart.

Accept, etc., A. Milne Edwards,

Director of the Museum of Natural History.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 43

reply of dk. carlos berg, of i5uenos 4.yres.

June 4, 1892.

Sir: In answer to your circular dated April 2, and directed to Dr, Hermann Bur-
meister, I regret to let you know that same died shortly before the transmission of
your circular by D. N. Bcrtolette, esq.

Having been named director of the national museum in the place of the deceased,
I have read with great interest your report and conclusions about the causes of the
decrease and the measures necessary for the restoration and permanent preservation
of the seal herd on the Pribilof Islands, in Bering Sea, and according to your wish I
have the pleasure to let you know that from the standpoint of a naturalist I per-
fectly agree with you in considering j'-our comliisions and recommendations jnsti tied
and necessitated by the facts stated, by you as a result of your special investigation
CD the above-named islands.

Very truly, yours, Carlos Berg.

REPLY of prof. DK. ALFRED NEHRING, ROYAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE OF BERLIN.

Berlin, April 21, 1892.
Mr. C. Hart Merriam,

United States Department of Agriculture, WasMngton, D. C. :

Highly Esteemed Sir: I have carefully read and considered your elaborate
and very interesting letter of the 2d instant, which I received yesterday through
Mr. John Brinkerhoff Jackson, secretary of legation of the North American legation
in this city, and, in reply, I send you a statement of my views with regard to its
contents.

What you say concerning the mode of life, and especially the annual migrations of
the fui seal (Callorhiims ursinus), whose breeding places are the Pribilof Islands, is so
clear and convincing, and harmonizes so perfectly with what has been observed by
other reliable scientists, that I fully agree with your deductions. I am, like your-
self, of the opinion that the remarkable decrease of fur seals on the rookeries of the
Pribilof Islands, which has, of late years, become more and. more evident, is to be
attributed mainly, or perhaps exclusively, to the unreasonable destruction caused
by the sealers who ply their avocation in the open sea. The only rational method
of taking the fur seal, and the only one that is not likely to result in the extermi-
nation of this valuable animal, is the one which has hitherto been employed on the
Pribilof Islands under the supervision of the Government. Any other method of
taking the northern fur seal should, in my opinion, be prohibited by international
agreement. I should, at furthest, approve a local pursuit of the fur seal, where it
is destructive of the fisheries in its southern winter quarters. I regard pelagic fur
sealing as very unwise; it must soon lead to a decrease, bordering on extermination
of the fur seal.

With great respect. Prof. Dr. Alfred Nehring,

Professor of Zoology in the Royal Agricultural College of Berlin.

BEPLY OF PROF. COUNT TOMMASO 8ALVAD0RI.

Zoological Museum, Turin, April S5, 1892.
C. Hart Merriam,

United States Department of Agriculture,

Division of Ornithology, WasMngton, D. C.
Dear Sir*. I have received your letter concerning the northern fur seal, on the
condition of which you have been selected as naturalist to investigate and report
by the Government of the United States.

As a whole I agree with you as to the facts and conclusions drawn on your report,
although the increasing number of seal skins actually secured and sold, as a result
of pelagic sealing shown in your table, does not sutificieutly prove, in my mind, that
we are already in the period of a decided diminution of the number of living seals.
Still, I quite admit that it is absolutely necessary to adopt some measures for the
preservation of the seal herds.

No doubt the free pelagic sealing is a cause which will act to the destruction of
the seal herds, and to that it must be put a stop as soon as possible. But at the same
time I think that the yearly killing of about 100,000 young males on the Pribilof
Islands must have some influence on the diminution of the herds, especially pre-
venting the natural or sexual selection of the stronger males, which would follow if
the young males were not killed in such a great number. So that, with the stop-
ping of the pelagic sealing, I think, at least for a few years, also the slaughter of so
many young males in the Pribilof Islands should be prohibited.
. I remain, very truly, yours.

Prop. T. Salvadori-

44 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

REPLY OF DR. G. HARTLAUB.

Bremen, April 23, 1892.
Mr. C. Hart Merriam.

Dear Sir : Your excellent report on the northern fur seal I have read and reread
with iutense interst.

I am far from attributing to myself a competent judgment regarding this matter,
hut considering all facts which you have so clearly and convincingly combined and
expressed, it seems to me thai the measures you propose in order to prohibit the
threatening decay of the northern fur seal are the only correct ones promising an
effective result. . .

I sincerely regret that for practical reasons it can not be thought of to prohibit
fur-seal hunting for a few years entirely, as this would naturally assist numerically
the menaced animal.

There is at any rate clanger in view, and it can not be too strongly emphasized that
your 80 well-founded proposals should be executed at the earliest time possible.

With sincere thanks for the confidence you have placed in my judgment, I am,
dear sir, your most obedient,

Dr. G. Hartlaub.

REPLY OF PROP. ROBERT COLLETT, OF THE ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF THE UNIVERSITY

OF CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY.

Christiania, April 22, 1892.

My Dear Sir: It would be a very easy reply to your highly interesting treatise
of the fur seal, which you have been kind enough to send us, when I only answered
yon that I agree with you entirely in all points. No doubt it would be the greatest
value for the rookeries on the Pri'bilof Islands, as well as for the preservation of the
existence of the seal, if it would be possible to stop the sealing at sea at all. But'
that will no doubt be very dif6cult when so many nations partake in the sealing,
and how that is to go about I can not know. My own countrymen are killing every
year many thousands of seals, Cysto pJioroe, on the ice barrier between Spitzbergen
and Greenland, but never females with young; either are the old ones caught or —
and that is the greatest number— the young seals. But there is a close time, accepted
by the different nations, just to prohibit the killing of the females with young.
Perhaps a similar close time could be accepted in the Bering Sea, but that is a ques-
tion about which I can not have any opinion.

Many thanks for the paper.

Yours, very truly, E. Collett.

REPLY OF LEOPOLD VON SCHRENCK.

St. Petersburg, April 15/25, 1892.

Dear Sir: Having read with eager and critical attention the memoir you have
addressed to me upon the condition of the fur-seal rookeries on the Pribilof Islands
in Bering Sea, the causes of decrease and the measures necessary for the restora-
tion and permanent preservation of the seal herd, I can not but completely agree
with you in considering the conclusions and recommendations you arrived at quite
justified and necessitated by the facts. I am also persuc-wled that the pelagic sealing,
if pursued in the same manner in future, will necessarily end with the extermination
of the fur seal.

Very truly, yours,

Leopold von Schrenck,
Member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.

REPLY OF DR. HENRY H. GIGLIOLI.
t

FiRENZE, 19 VIA RoMANA, May 2, 1892.
Dear Sir: Tears ago, in November, 1867, I had the good fortune to be able to
visit an extensive rookery of one of the South Pacific eared seals, the well-known
Otaria jubata. It was during my voyage round the world on the Magenta. The
rookery in question lies just behind Cape Stokes in the Gulf of Penas, on the south-
ern coast of Chile, and is the one seen by Darwin during his memorable voyage in
the Beagle. I shall never forget that day, when my astonished gaze rested on hun-
dreds of these eared seals lying about in every attitude of repose on the beach and

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 45

rocks of the shore, or gracefully, and without showing the slightest fear, performing
the most acrobatic evolutions in the water round our boat. That day I had my first
experience of these singular creatures, and from that day dates the special interest
I have ever since taken in the study of the life history of the Otariidw, which is one
of the most marvelous in zoology.

In the spring ot l-syo, while commissioner for Italy at the grand "Fischerei-
Ansstellung" held at Berlin, I lirst had occasion to admire, in the United States
exhibit, the beautiful and spirited drawings of Henry W. Elliott. I have since then
taken a keen interest in the; wonderful life history of the North Pacific fur seal {Cal-
lorhiuHS uisiiius), as best exemplified on the Pribilof Islands. Later on I have care-
fully read and coiiimented on the various accounts which have appeared in print ou
the subject; thus, in J. A. Allen's North American Piuuipeds, Washington, 1880 (p.
312 et seq.), but more espet ially the detailed and graphic descriptions which have
been published by Henry W. Elliott in his masterly monograph, The Seal Islands of
Alaska, in that grand work by G. Brown Goode and associates, The Fisheries and
Fishery Industries of the United States (vol. 1, p. 75 et seq.), Washington, 1884, and
again in his most interesting volume, An Arctic Province, Alaska and the Seal
Islands, London, 1886.

After these precedents yew can easily imagine how great an interest I take in that
"vexata qua>8tio," the fur-seal fishery in the Bering Sea; with what pleasure I
received through the United States Government and Mr. Long, the United States
consul in this city, your communication, and how glad I am of the opportunity thus
atlbrded me of giving my unbiased opinion in the case and aiding you in your noble
efibrt to preserve from utter destruction one of the most interesting of living crea-
tures, and to save at the same time a most valuable source of human industry and
profit.

I have read with great attention your condensed but very complete statement of
the salient points regarding the life history of the North Pacific fur seal {CaUorhinua
nrsinus). 1 have carefully considered the results of your investigation upon the con-
dition of the fur-seal rookeries on the Pribilof Islands, your conclusions regarding
the cause of their decrease, and the measures you suggest as necessary for the resto-
ration and permanent preservation of the seal herd; and I am happy to state that
I entirely agree with you on all points.

The first and most important point for consideration is evidently the cause of the
unquestionable decrease ascertained in the fur-seal rookeries on the Pribilof Islands
dmiug the few past years. The stri)igently enforced rules which strictly limit the
killing for commercial purposes to nonbreeding males or holluscliickies, carefully
selecied, which selection can only be made on laud, entirely preclude to my mind
the suggestion that the lamented decrease may be attributed in any degree to the
killing of too large a number of nonbreeding nuiles. Such a decrease might have
been in some slight measure attributed to the former custom of killing each year a
certain number of male pups to furnish food for the natives, but that practice has
been wisely prohibited. Therefore, I feel positive that the notable decrease in the
number of fur seals resorting to the rookeries on the Kurile Islands, on the Ro; ben
Reef (Saghalien), and more especially ou the Commander Islands, as being in the
Bering Sea.

Having conclusively shown that the lamented decrease in the herd of fur seals
resorting to the Pribilof Islands can in no way be accounted for by the selective
killing of nonbreeding males for commercial purposes, which takes place on those
islands under special rules and active surveillance, we must look elsewhere for its
cause, and I can see it nowhere but in the iudiscriminaf.e slaughter, principally prac-
ticed on breeding or pregnant females, as most clearly shown in your condensed
report, by pelagic sealers.

In any cawe, all who are competent in the matter will admit that no method of
capture could be more uselessly destructive in the ease of pinnipedia than that called
" pelagic sealing ; " not only any kind of selection of the victims is impossible, but it
is admitting much to assert that out of three destroyed one is secured and utilized,
and this for obvious and well-known reasons. In the case of the North Pacific fur
seal, this mode of capture and destruction falls nearly exclusively on those— the nurs-
ing or pregnant females — which ought on no account to be killed. It is greatly to be
deplored that any civilized nation possessing fishery laws and regulations should
allow such indiscriminate waste and destruction. The statistical data you give are
painfully eloquent, and when we come to the conclusion that the 62,500 skins secured
by pelagic sealing in 1891 represent at a minimum one-sixth of the fur seals destroyed,
viz, 375,000 — tiiat is, calculating one in three secured and each of the three suckling
a pup or big with young — we most undoubtedly need not look elsewhere to account
for the rapid decrease in the rookeries on the Pribilof Islands; and I quite agree
with yon in maintaining that, unless the malpractice of pelagic sealing be prevented
or greatly checked, both in the North Pacific and in the Bering Sea, the ecouoiuac
extermination of CaUorhinua ursinus is merely the matter of a few years.

46 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

fctemational legislation ought to intervene, and -without delay, in this case and
suggest the means of possibly preventing or at least considerably limitiug the pelagic
capture and killing of the northern fur seal— a destructive and i.ltimately fatal indus-
try, which forcibly recalls the well-known fable of the peasant who killed the hen
■which laid the golden eggs. The iudnstry derived from the rational killing of fur
seals, as practiced on t4ie Pribilof Islands, has an economic value which extends far
beyond the limits, though vast, of the United states; and it must be remembered
that the commercial extermination of the fur seal must also put an end to those
industries which are connected with the preparation of the much valued seal-skin fur.

It is both as a naturalist and as an old commissioner of fislieries that I beg to say
once more that I most entirely and most emphatically agree with you in the conclu-
sions and recommendations you come to in your report on the present condition
of the fur-seal industry in the Bering Sea, with special reference to the causes of
decrease and the measures necessary for the restoration and permanent preservation
of that industry, which conclusions and recommendations are fully supported and
justified by the facts in the case.

With much regard, believe me, dear sir, very truly, yours,

Hknry H. GlGLIOLl.

REPLY OP r>R. RAPHAEL BLANCHARD.

Dr. C. Hart Mkrriam,

Bureau of Animal Industry,

Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

Sir AND Honored Colleague: I have read with the deepest interest the learned
memoir which you have done me the honor to send me concerning the biological his-
tory of the fur seal (CaUorhinus wrsinus).

The very precise observations which you made at the Pribilof Islands and the no
less certain information based on ofdcial statistics which you give on the subject of
the capture of the females on the high sea at the moment when they are returning to
the Pribilof Islands to give birth to their young, have suggested to you conclusions
with which I fully agree.

I will go eveu further than you, for I think it urgent not only to rigidly prohibit
the taking of the migratory CaUorhinus in the open sea, but also to regulate and limit
severely the hunting on land of males still too young to have a harem.

According to your own observation the male does not pair oft' before the age of 6
or 7 years, and the females give birth to only one pup at a time. It can be said then
that the species increases slowly and multiplies with difficulty. These are unfavor-
able conditions, which do not allow it to repair the hecatombs which for several
years past have been and are decimating the species.

By reason of the massacres of which it is the victim this species is advancing rap-
idly toward its total and final destruction, following the fatal road on which the
Rhytina stelleri, the Alonachus tropicalis, and the Macrorhinus angustirostris have pre-
ceded it, to cite only the great mammifers which but recently abounded in the
American seas.

Now, the irremediable destruction of an eminently useful animal species, such as
this one, is, to speak plainly, a crime of which we are rendering ourselves guilty
toward our descendants. To satisfy our instincts of cupidity we voluntarily exhaust,
and that forever, a source of wealth which, properly regulated, ought on the con-
trary to contribute to the prosperity of our own generation and of those which will
succeed it.

When we live on our capital we can undoubtedly lead a gay and extravagant life:
but how loug does this foolish extravagance last? And what is its to-morrow f
Inextricable poverty. On the other hand, in causing our capital to be properly pro-
ductive we draw from it constantly a splendid income, whicli does not, perhaps, give
the large means dreamed of, but at least assures an honorable competency, to which
the wise man knows how to accommodate himself. By prudent ventures or by a
well-regulated economy he can even increase progressively his inheritance and leave
to his children a greater fortune than he had himself received from his parents. It
is evidently the same with the question which occupies us, and it is for our gener-
ation an imperious duty to prevent the destruction of the fur seal, to regulate
strictly its capture — in a word, to perpetuate this source of wealth and to bequeath
it to our descendants.

To these considerations of an economic character I will add another of a nature

{(urely sentimental. It is not without profound sadness that the naturalist sees a
arge number of animal species disappear, the destruction of which this century will
have seen accomplished. When our seas nre no longer inhabited by the cetacca and
the great pinnipeds, when the air is no longer furrowed in all directions by little

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 47

insectivorous 'birds, who knows if the equilibrium of nature will not be broken — an
equilibrium to which the creatures on the way to extinction have greatly contributed?

With his harpoons, his firearms, and his machines of every kind, man, with whom
the instinct of destruction attains its highest point, is the most cruel enemy of nature
and of mankind itself.

Happily, while yet in time, the savants sound the alarm. In this century, when
we believe in science, we must liope that their voice will not be lost in the desert.

Above all, I have the conviction that the very wise measures which you propose
with the view of preserving the CaUorhinus ursinus from an impending destruction
will be submitted to an international commission, which will ratify them and give
them the force of a law.

Will you accept, sir and honored colleague, the expression of my most distinguished
sentiments.

Dr, Raphael Blanchard.

REPLY OF DR. WILHELM LILLJEBORG.

Stockholm, May 14, 1892.
Dr. C. Hart Merriam.

Dear Sir: In answer to your letter of 2d of April, asking our opinion as to the
causes of the decrease of the stock of northern fur seals {CaUorhinus ursinus) on the
rookeries of the islands in the North Pacific or Bering Sea, and concerning the means
proposed by you to arrest this decrease, allow us to state the following:

Your description of the life of the northern fur seal corresponds generally with
similar descriptions by former authors, from the celebrated Dr. Steller, who (1741-42)
visited the Commander Islands with Vitus Bering, to our days, and also with our own
personal experiences of the animal life in the Arctic seas, and with the informations
one of us gathered from the inhabitants during a short stay in the Bering Sea.

We do not, therefore, hesitate to declare that the facts about the life and habits of
the fur seal stated by you in your said letter under 1-20 should serve as a base for
the regulations necessary to preserve this gregarious animal from its threatened
extinction in a comparatively short time.

These regulations may be divided into two categories, viz: (1) Regulations for the
killing, etc., of the fur seals on the rookeries, in order to prevent the gradual diminu-
tion of the stock; (2) regulations for the pelagic sealing, or for the hunting of the
seals swimming in the ocean in large herds to and from the rookeries, or around the
rookeries during the time when the females are suckling the pups on laud.

As to the former question, the killing of the seals on the rookeries, it seems at
present regulated in a suitable manner to effectually prevent the gradual diminution
of the stock. If a wider experience should require some modifications in these
regulations, there is no danger but that such modifications will be adopted. It is
evidently in the interest of the owners of the rookeries to take care that this source
of wealth should not be lessened by excessive exploitation. Nor will there be any diffi-
culty for studying the conditions for health and thriving of the animals during the
rookery season. v

As to the pelagic sealing, it is evident that a systematic hunting of the seals in the
open sea on the way to and from or around the rookeries will very soon cause the
complete extiuction of this valuable and, from a scientific point of view, extremely
interesting and important animal, especially ae a great number of the animals killed
in this manner are pregnant cows, or cows temporarily separated from their pups
while seeking food in the vicinity of the rookery. Everyone having some experi-
ence in seal hunting can also attest that only a relativelj' small part of the seals
killed or seriously wounded in the open sea can in this manner be caught. We are
therefore persuaded that a prohibition of pelagic sealing is a necessary condition
for the prevention of the total extermination of the fur seal.

Very truly, yours, W. Lilljeborg.

REPLY OF DR. A. V. MIDDENDORFF.
Mr. W. WURT8.

Sir: My delay in answering your letter is due to illness. I am very glad that the
United States have selected so competent a person as Dr. Merriam for the purpose of
ascertaining the causes of the rapid decrease of seals. The facts of the case have
now beeu scientifically explained, so that they may be readily understood even by
an unscientific person. The method of treating these animals which was originally
adopted by the Russian American Company at their home on the Pribilof Islands is
still continued in the same rational manner, and has, for more than half a century

48 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

been found to be excellent, both on account of the large number of seals taken, and
because they are not externiiuated. So long as superfluous young males only are
killed, not only the existence, but even thu increase of the herd is assured.

Seals are, unfortunately, migratory animals, and set out on their jouruey during
the winter months. This is especially true of the pregnant females. They are then
hunted with constantly increasing rapacity, and are killed in the open sea by free-
booters from all parts of the world. It is evident that the only remedy for such a
state of things can be afforded by international protection.

How rapidly extermination progresses is shown by the disappearances of millions
of bisons. With these, however, the case is quite different, since their destruction
is of no importance in an economical point of view. Its importance is merely of an
esthetical character, and from this standpoint only does modern civilization demand
the preservation of two specimen herds, numbering a few hundred head each — one
in Lithuania and the other in North America. Since the attempts to domesticate
the bison, and to produce a cross between it and our domestic cattle have proved a
failure, it is plain that the ground where the bison formerly grazed can be more
advantageously occupied and yield milk abundantly.

The case is quite otherwise with the seal. This animal is of economical impor-
tance, and was created for a domestic animal, as I pointed out many years ago. (See
my Siberian Journey, vol. iv, part 1, p. 846.) It is in fact the most useful of all
domestic animals, since it requires no care and no expense, and consequently yields
the largest net profit. If we suppose the seal to have disappeared, what could take
its place as converter of the immense supply of fish in the ocean into choice furs to
stock the markets of the world ?

Bering Island, which has been deserted for one hundred and fifty years, now
stands as a warning. Has modern progress succeeded in any way in supplying the
place of the seal cow {Bhytina stelleri), that huge monster which, as a consumer of
marine plants, was intended to convert useless sea weed into savory meat?

If you will communicate (as you say you prn]iose to do) the contents of this letter
to Dr. Merriam, whose address I do not know, you will oblige me greatly.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,

Dr. A. V. MiDDENDORFF.

REPLT OF DK. EMIL HOLUB.

Prague, May IS, 1892.
Dr. C. H. Merriam, Esq.

Dear Sir : With sincere attention I have perused the records of your investigation
of the habits, the present decrease, and regarding the future of the fur seal {Callor-
hiniis ursinus Gray). Having well considered the matter, I will pass my opinion
without any prejudice whatever.

The Government of the United States may be congratulated upon the action taken
in having sent out for the investigation of a matter which falls into the department
of the board of trade a scientist, and in this special case a man who has taken such
great paius with the object of his researches.

Our age makes it a duty for all civilized nations to bring trad^and commerce in
a close contact with science. This becomes quite a necessity, like in the present
case, in which commercial customs, even international agreements, laws, etc., become
insufficient to secure a sound decision. Such scieutific iuvestigations can su])ply the
desired conclusions; they do advice the measures to be taken, and provide the basis
upon which an international understanding can be established.

Regarding the object of your researches, I indorse your opinion that the decrease
of the numbers of the fur seal on the Pribilof Islands has been caused by pelagic
sealing in the North Pacific and in the Bering Sea, and that this taking of the seals
at sea has to be 8ti>|ipid as early as possible.

To restore in time the numbers of former years, I take the liberty to name the fol-
lowing measures for the sake of consideration :

A. Concerning certain agreements with other powers.

(1) A mutual understanding upon the qnestion between the United States, Russia,
and Japan. These three States are concerned primo loco in this matter as being the
proprietors of the breeding places as well, like also of the fishing grounds of the
said animals during their yearlj' wanderings to and fro.

(2) For the sake of brevity in action and a speedy settlement, these three States
(after having agreed upon the foregoing^ to select but one representative.

(3) The United States having given impulse to the matter to gain the prestige,
that a United States man shall be selected to this honor.

(4) A congress to be called together, invitations to be sent to those of the Euro-
pean and American powers, whose subjects indulge in pelagic sealing in the North
Pacific and the Bering Sea.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 49

(5) In the congress the re])re,s('ntativo of the three po\\ers to have six voices,
resulting in two voices for every one of these poNsers, which concession to be granted
upon the facts of paragraph 1.

(6) The congress to deal with the stoppage of pelagic sealing of the fur seal, And
possilily to come to an iinderstanding u\)on it and to enforce it.

B. Concerning certain laws and precautious in thedoniinions of the United States.

(1) To prohibit taking seals at sea by home vessels and by small boats along the
coast during the wanderings of the animals. I think that a great many fur seals
are killed on their way to the south and their return to their breeding places in the
north before ever they do reach the neighborhood of the latter. The fact that these
wandering animals are chiefly pregnant females, which as game are protected by
laws among all civilized nations, may grant them safety also along the coasts of
British Columbia.

(2) To see that the existing laws at present in use on both St. Paul and St. George
islands regarding the protection of male pups are strictly observed.

(3) To investigate the nutritious necessities of the fur seal. I believe that the
animals feed, besides on tish and crustaceans, also on difl'erent forms of mollusca,
especially on mussels, and also on certain seaweeds.

(4) In ascertaining the foregoing, to try to increase the quantity of food in the
eea of the Pribilof Islands, especially for the reason that females, when nursing,
may be not compelled to stray as far as 100 to 150 miles from shore, deserting their
pups for so long and being also exposed to the weapons of tbe pelagic sealers.

(5) In ascertaining the nutritious necessities to pay special attention to mussels
belonging to the families of the Alyiilidw and Arkulidte (to the genera of Mytihis,
Modiola, Lithodomis, Finria, and others), who have thin shells, or toother species of
the North Pacific, which would promise a good prolilication ; further, also, to certain
seaweeds, for submarine plantation, the species to which I allude containing a great
deal of eatable gelatinous matter.

(6) These measures, besides to be taken from economical reasons on behalf of
home commerce and home trade, to be recommended also from a scientific point
of view, as an act of preservation of a sea manmial and from the common laws of
humanity, that species of large and wild living mammal may be guarded against
utter annihilation.

Mankind, never to forget that, being the master among the living creatures on
earth, it has the power of re creation.

If the pelagic sealing of the fur seal is carried on still longer, like it has been exe-
cuted during the last years, the jxdagic sealing as a business matter and a living
will soon cease by the full extermination of the useful animal.

The objections brought forward by tbe friends of the pelagic sealing against its
stoppage, that the latter will ruin a great many families ot' seamen and fishers, can
not be taken as sound arguments. It is a well-known and a common thing in our
age, but a weekly occurrence during the last years, that a new trade springing up
ruins two other trades, and hardly in one case out of hundreds can a compensation
be given or is asked for.

In concluding ray note, I thank you, my dear sir, as my esteemed fellow-worker in
another transatlantic sphere, for the excellent work which you have executed during
your weary investigations in the Bering Sea. May this noble and important work
be crowned with the deserved success that that piratic hunt may be stopped for-
ever. The opportunity of the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago might be used to
call the congress to Washington, and then to give to the delegates the treat of a
visit to the monstrous exhibition.

I should feel very happy if oue day to come I can make your personal acquaint-
ance and can shake hands with you, my dear sir.

With my humble respects, I remain, your most obedient,

Dr. Emil Holub.

LETTERS AND STATEMENTS OF NATURALISTS.
STATEMENT BY PROF. T. H. HUXLEY.

The following? statement by Prof. T. H. Huxley, F. E. S., etc., the
eminent naturalist, was prepared at the request of the counsel for the
United States. As appears from the statement itself, it was given by
Professor Huxley as a scientist, not as a retained advocate:

(1) The problem of the fur-seal fishery appears to me to be exactly analogous to
that which is presented by salmon fisheries. The Pribilof Islands answer to the
upper waters of a salmon river ; the Bering Sea south of them and the waters of the
H, Doc. 92, pt. 2 4

50 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Northwest Pacific from California to the Shumaf^in Islands to tlie rest of the course of
the river, its estnary, andadjaceut seaeoast. Tlii^aiiiiiuils breed in the former and feed
in the latter, migratinsc at n^gular periods from the one to the other. (The question
whether the fur seals have any breeding places on the Northwest Coast outside of
Bering Sea may be left open, as there seems to be no doubt that the main body breeds
at the Pribilofs.)

(2) An important difference is that the females, bachelors, and yearling fur seals
feed largely within a radius of, say, 50 miles of the Pribilof Islands, while the adult
salmon do not feed (sensibly, at any rate) in the upper waters.

(3) It is clear in the case of fur seals, as in that of the salmon, that man is an
agent of destruction of very great potency, probably outweighing all others. It
would be possible in the case of a salmou river to fish it in such a fashion that every
ascending or descending fish should be caught, and the fishery be in this way surely
and completely destroyed. All our salmon-fishery legislation is directed toward the
end of preserving the breeding grounds on the one hand, on the other of preventing
the lower- water fishermen from capturing too large a proportion of the ascending
fish.

(4) Our fishery regulations are strict and minute. Every salmon river has its
fishery board, composed of representatives of both the upper and the lower water
fisheries, whose business it is to make by-laws under the acts of Parliament and to
see that they are carried out. A Government inspector of fisheries J joks after them,
and holds inquiries under the authority of the home secretary in case of disputes.
On the whole, the system works well. The fisheries of rivers which have been
pretty nearly depopulated have been restored, and the yield of the best is main-
tained. But the upper-water and lower-water proprietors are everlastingly at war,
each vowing that the other is ruining tlie fisheries, and the inspector has large oppor-
tunities of estimating the value of diametrically opposite assertions about matters
of fact.

(5) In the case of the fur-seal fisheries the destructive agency of man is prepotent
on the Pribilof Islands. It is obvious that the seals might be destroyed and driven
away completely in two or three seasons. Moreover, as the number of bachelors in
any given season is easily ascertained, it is possible to keep down the take to such
a percentage as shall do no harm to the stock. The conditions for efficient regulation
are here quite ideal.

(6) But in Bering Sea and on the Northwest coast the case is totally altered. In
order to get rid of all complications, let it be supposed that western North America,
from Bering Straits to California, is in the possession of one power, and that we have
only to consider the questions of the regulations which that power should make and
enforce in order to preserve the fur-seal fisheries. Suppose, further, that the author-
ity of that power extended over Bering Sea and over all the Northwest Pacific east
of a line drawn from the Shumagin Islands to California.

Under such conditions I should say, lookiiig at nothing but the preservation of the
seals, that the best course would be to prohibit the taking of the fur seals anywhere
except on the Pribilof Islands, and to limit the take to such percentage as experi-
ence proved to be consistent with the preservation of a good, average stock. The
furs would be in the best order, the waste of life would be least, and, if the system
were honestly worked, there could be no danger of overfishing.

(7) However, since northwest America does not belong to one power, and since
international law does not acknowledge Bering Sea to be a mare clausum, nor rec-
ognize the jurisdiction of a Riparian power beyond the 3-mile limit, it is quite clear
that this ideal arrangement is impracticable.

The cause of the fur-seal fisheries is, in fact, even more difiicult than that of the
salmon fisheries in such a river as the Rhine, where the upper waters belong to one
power and the lower to another.

(8) The Northwest Pacific, from California to Shumagin at any rate, is open to all the
world, and, according to the evidence, the seals keep mainly outside the 3-mile limit.
A convention between Great Britain and the United States (backed by a number of
active cruisers) might restrain the subjects of both. But what about ships under
another flag?

(9) Moreover, I do not see how the Canadians could be reasonably expected to give
up their fishery for the sake of preserving the Pribilof fisheries, in which they have
no interest.

(10) If, however, it is admitted that the Canadians can not be asked to give up their
fisheries, I see no way out of the difficulty except one, and I do not know that it is
practicable. It is that the Pribilof, Bering, and Northwest coast fur-seal fisheries
shall be considered national property on the part of the United States and Great
Britain, to be worked by a joint fishery commission, which shall have power to make
by-laws under the terms of a general treaty, to which I sujjpose other powers (who
have hardly any interest in the matter) could be got to agree.

(11) I ani free to confess that my experience of the proceedings of fishery boards
does not encourage me to hope that the proceedings of such a commission would be

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 51

altogether harmonious; but if it were composed of sensible men they -would, sooner
or later, struj2;gle out into a modus viveudi, for, after all, it is asmucli the Canadian
interest tliat the Pribihif fisheries should bo preserved as it is the United States inter-
est that the seals should not be extir])ated in i'>ering Sea and the Northwest Pacific.

(12) In such a case as this I do not believe that the enforcement of a close time,
either in Bering Sea or on the Northwest coast, would be of any practical utility
unless the fishing is absolutely prohibited (which I take to bo out of the question).
It must be permitted while the seals are in the sea; and if it is permitted, there is
no limit to the destruction which may he effected.

Numerous as the seals may be, they are a trifle compared with herring schools and
cod walls, and human agency is relatively a far more important factor in destruction
in their case than in that of herrings and cod. Up to this time fishing has made no
sensible impression on the great herring and cod fisheries; but it has been easy to
extirpate seal fisheries.

(13) Finally, I venture to remark that there are only two alternative courses
worth pursuing.

One is to let the fur seals he extirpated. Mankind will not suffer much if the
ladies are obliged to do without sealskin jackets, and the fraction of the English,
Canadian, and American population which lives on the seal-skin industry will be no
worse off than the vastly greater multitude who have had to suffer for the vagaries
of fashion times out of number. Certainly, if the seals are to be a source of constant
bickering between two nations, the sooner they are abolished the better.

The other course is to tread down all merely personal and trade interest in pursnit
of an arr.iugemeut that will work and be fair all round, and to sink all the stupidi-
ties of national vanity and political self-seeking along with them.

There is a great deal too much of all these undeniable elements apparent in the
documents which I have been studying.

T. H. HUXLKY.

Apkil 25, 1892.

AFFIDAVIT BY DR. PHILIP LUTLEY SCLATER.

Philip Lutley Sclater, Ph. D., secretary of the Zoological Society of London, being
duly sworn, doth depose and say that in his opinion as a naturalist :

(1) Unless proper measures are taken to restrict the indiscriminate capture of the
far seal in the North Pacific he is of opinion that the extermination of this species
will take place in a few years, as it has already done in the case of other species of
the same group in other parts of the world.

(2) It seems to him that the proper way of proceeding would be to stop the kill-
ing of females and young of the fur seal altogether or as far as possible, and to
restrict the killing of the males to acertnin number in each year.

(3) The only way he can imagine by which these rules could be carried out is by
the killing the seals only in the islands at tiie breeding time (at which time it
appears that the young males keep a])art from the females and old males) and by
preventing altogether, as far as possible, the destruction of the fur seals at all other
times and in other places.

Philip Lutley Sclateu, Ph. D., F. R. S.

City of Washington, District of ColuviMa, ss:

C. H. Towuseud, being duly sworn, deposes and says:

I am 33 years of age, and my profession is that of a naturalist. I am attached to
the United States Fish Commission steamer Albatross, with which Commission I have
been connected for nine years. Occupying the position of resident naturalist on that
vessel, as I did, I have collected constantly during this period and have hunted with
all kinds of firearms and under various conditions. I have made seven voyages to
Alaska.

I visited the Pribilof Islands for the first time in 1885, spending the months of June
and September thereon in making collections of natural-history specimens, includ-
ing those of the fur seal, of which I brought down twenty. In the year 1891 I again
visited the Island of St. Paul, arriving there July 28 and reniainiug there about ten
days. The British commissioners were on the island at that time. I made frequent
observations as to the conditions of the rookeries during this period. Early in the
summer of 1892 I visited, at the request of the United States Government, Guade-
lope Island, for the purpose of acquainting myself with seal life there and of obtain-
ing skulls of the fur seals which formerly frequented those regions. Later in 1892 I
once more visited the Island of St. Paul, arriving there .lune 30. I was there on the

52

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

island and on the United States Revenue steamer Corwin, cruising to the west of the
islands, continuously until about August 15, and was engaged during all of this
time in the study of seal life, either on land or in the waters of Bering Sea, anil have
shot seals from a small boat.

I carefully noted the fact this year that the young seal is at birth r.ttached to a
large placenta, equal parts to one-third of its weight and of a bright red color. It
is sometimes not expelled until an hour or so after birth, remaining attached in the
meanwhile by the umbilical cord to the pup. It frequently remains attached to the
pup a day or more. After parturition the female takes an immediate interest in her
young, and if it has fallen into some slight rock crevice she gently draws it toward
her, taking its nape in her teeth. She repeatedly turns to it with manifestation of
affection.

Prior to July 27, 1892, many of the females had taken to water to feed and could
thereafter be seen returning at all times to suckle their young. I quote the follow-
ing written memorandum made by nie on St. Paul at that date: "Bulls on rookeries
getting exhausted and quiet, mostly sleeping. Cows largely at sea. Some bulls have
hauled out on sand beaches that so far have been bare. Four-tifths of the seals on
rookeries to-day are pups."

July 28 I made the following note : "Many females coming from the water bleating
for their young."

I have killed sea lions at the following localities, where they breed in considerable
numbers, and found their breeding ground impregnated with the same rank, dis-
agreeable smell that is so noticeable a feature of the breeding grounds of the Pribilof
fur seal: Light-house Rock, Alaska Peninsula, Farallon Islands, and Monterey Rock,
California; San Benito Islands, Lower California, and San Luis Islands, in the Gulf of
California. The soil and rocks at these places is as foul with seal excrement as at
the Pribilofs, where urine, excrement, decaying placentas, and other tilth rubbed
and trodden into the soil and rock depressions cause the odors so characteristic of
this vicinity. The rocks at Monterey may be used in illustration : They lie near
Cypress Point, 400 or 500 yards off the shore, which the carriage drive follows, and
are covered with hair seals, which breed there. They are conspicuously stained
with excrement, and where the animals lie thickest the ground is smeared and slip-
pery with it. I collected sea lions there in January of the present year, and after
my shooting had frightened all the animals off to the sea the rank smell of the place
itself drifted acro.ss the channel into the nostrils of the tourists of the Hotel del
Monte, who witnessed our operations. It would indeed be an extraordinary occur-
rence if fur seals did not deposit excrement upon their breeding grounds in the same
way that all other animals of this class do.

As already stated above, I was attached to the steamer Corwin during the past
summer, and I made all the examinations of the stomachs of the seals referred to
in Captain Hooper's report, covering, in all, 33 seals. I annex hereto photogra])hs
of two of the seals which were dissected and examined by me on the deck of the
steamer Corwin. These seals were taken on the 2d day of August, 1892, at a dis-
tance of about 175 miles trom the islands. The photogi'aphs exhibit the mammary
glands and convey a good idea of the cousiderable size of these glands, which in all
cases were tilled with milk. The inference is unavoidable that the i)up is a vora-
cious feeder, and this iuference is in keeping with the observations I have made on
the rookeries, where I have repeatedly seen pups suckle for half an hour at a time.
Tlie mammary gland is very widely spread over the lower surface of the animal ;
beginning ))etween the fore ilipy)ers, in fact at the anterior of the sternum, it extends
well up under the armpits and back to the pubic bones. The milk glands are quite
thick and completely charged with milk. The photographs, especially the iirst one,
exhibit the milk streaming from the glands on to the deck.

Annexed to the report of Captain Hooper is a table giving the results of the exam-
ination of 41 seals which were killed in Bering Sea in 1892. It appears that of this
number 22 were nursing seals. The photographs hereto annexed show exactly the
way all of these nursing female seals looked when cut open on the deck of the Corwin.

From the fact that among the females thus taken and examined there were found
mostly nursing cows, with a small number of virgin cows, it is reasonable to con-
clude that there are practically no barren females swimming about in the sea unat-
tached to the islands, or that, at any rate, if such seals exist they are rarely, if ever,
taken. In all my experience I have never seen anything to lead me to the conclusion
that there is such a thing as a barren female. In the case of the virgin cows, a care-
ful examination of the uterus proved them to be too immature for conception.

In the stomachs of many of the seals examined as above stated there were fotind
large quantities of fish, mainly codfish. There is nothing surprising in this fact, that
codfish should be found in the stomachs of surface feeders such as seals are. While
taken at the bottom, the codfish is not restricted to deep water. It is found from the
shallows along the shore out to tlie banks where fishermen usually take them. They
are often taken at intermediate depths, but fish taken at the bottom are, as a rule
larger.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 53

The cod is a voiiieions feeder npdn s((uid, which abound at the surface. In Alaskan
waters I have taken hundreds with the dip net, after attracting them with the elec-
tric light of the Albatross. In its frequent niignitions from bank to bank the cod
passes over tracks of ocean where the water is of profound depth. It is a regular
feeder upon herring and many other fishes which school at the surface, and in
Alaskan waters frequently follows the Jisherman's bate from the bottom to the sur-
face.

As a result of my combined observations upon land and water, as hereinbefore
detailed, I have no hesifration in stating positively that soou after a female gives
birth to her young she leaves the island in quest of food, that she travels great dis-
tances in search of it, and that she returns to the islands heavily laden with milk.

While hunting in the Corwin's boat many seals were fired upon when asleep. They
usually sleep with their head to leeward and keep it moving uneasily from side to
side, but with the nose held clear of the water. A sleeping seal has his vital parts
pretty well submerged — the nose, lower jaw, and flippers being usually held above
the surface, although a little more appears at times according to the condition of the
sea and the movements of the animal.

One has to be very close to get a shot at the head that will kill it. Many times
the animal is wounded sufficiently to get out of reach of the hunter before it dies.
I had very little difficulty in approaching sleeping seals close enough for a fair shot,
but much in killing them. Fair shots that scattered the charge all about them, hit-
ting the flippers, I firmly believe, and in some cases drawing plenty of blood, were
usually without result, until I learned to fire directly at the head. Then the shots
began to prove fatal; but even then, unless hit in a vital part, the animals got away,
though bleeding freely. At first I blamed the ineliectual firing on the cartridges, but
the cartridges proved all right as soon as I learned to aim at the head and not at the
animal as a whole.

I learned after some experiments that seals which dashed away apparently unin-
jured were usually hurt, and after following them persistently, at great labor to the
boat pullers, found that they were bleeding.

I believe that the majority of sleeping seals fired at are struck. The number killed
at the islands with buckshot in them bears out this claim to a considerable extent.
I do not see how an ordinary marksman can shoot at so large a target as a seal at
short range with a double-barrel gun loaded with 21 buckshot without striking some
of the exposed portions of the animal.

It is from the instantly killed that seals are secured; the wounded animal uses its
death struggle to get out of reach. What proportion of the seals reaching the
Pribilofs with shot in them bear to those which are fired at and escape (wounded, as
I state above) is not known, but I believe that fully as many perish leaving no trace,
as recover sufficiently to reach the islands.

Feeding seals shot when raising their heads about the boats from curiosity are
more likely to be killed instantly than sleeping seals, but they sink more quickly.
A clear shot at the head is att'orded which knocks the life completely out of them,
and the rest of the body being under water at the time it would seem that the
pressure upon the limp body forces the air from it. As a rule, seals killed inst^utly,
when the head is entirely clear of the water, go down quickly, sinking stern fore-
most. Sleeping seals killed when the head is low in the water float for a time, the
head settling into the water first, the air is retained in the body and it floats. I shot
a seal ott' Quadeloape Island in May when it raised its head close to the boat, killing
it instantly. It sank before we could reach it with the gatt', and continued sinking,
stern first, as we could plainly see far below in the clear water.

Another illustration of the wastefulness of the pelagic sealing might be found in
the number of cartridges expended. During the work of the Corwin no record of
this kind was kept. The hunter usually carried two or three dozen cartridges,
which were, as a rule, expended before they returned to the ship. The number of
seals lost by sinking, number wounded, and number secured were recorded.

Repeated firing from the boats was often heard on board ship, and a large number
of empty shells would be returned, when comparatively few seals were definitely
reported as secured, lost, or wounded, all other shots being supposed to be misses.
I do not think this feature has received proper consideraticm. The hunters were
certainly average marksmen, and it is my belief that the great majority of the
sleeping seals iired at were struck. The guns used were 10-bore Parkers, loaded
with 21 buckshot. Time after time I have seen the heavy charge strike about the
sleeping seal fully expecting to see it killed, when, to my utter surprise, it would
dive and come up beyond our reach. It is incredible that the great number of seals
thus escaping were uninjured. How can one always find traces of blood or signs of
injury when the frightened animal is retreating at a rate so rapid that it is soon out
of sight, and especially as its course is mainly under water and it only appears at
the surface with a porpoise-like leap to catch its breath and then dives again?

C. H. TOWNSENIX

54 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY.

The forejioinf>' testimony is that of scientists wliose knowledge of the
subject under discussion can not well be questioned. Speaking for
myself, personally, I am pleased to find my own conclusions (based on
a practical knowledge solely) so fully indorsed by learned and disinter-
ested men.

In addition to the testimony already quoted, however, and in order
to strengthen the position taken, I append to my report the testimony
of statesmen, jurists, scientists, naturalists, shipmasters, sealers, seal
hunters, pelagic sealers, naval officers (Ameri(;an and J3ritish), mer-
chantmen, seamen, Indian hunters, native sealers. Treasury agents,
company agents, British and American Bering Sea Commissioners, fur
traders, furriers, fiir experts, customs officers, and men of all classes,
native and foreign, friends and enemies, who have had either the prac-
tical experience, the general information, or the scientific knowledge to
warrant them in making sworn statements on the subject at issue; and
a careful reading of the testimony introduced will show that their views
in general are in accord with mine, and sustain my position in every
particular.

The quotations above referred to are taken from the American case
and counter case.

RETROSPECTIVE AND EXPLANATORY.

So much has already been said in contradiction of the theories
advanced by honest but mistaken men about overdriving of the young
males and its consequent result of impotency, of stampedes on the rook-
eries, and epidemics in the herd, by which so many pups were supposed
to be destroyed annually during the past decade, it is necessary for a
correct understanding of the contention that I go back a few years and
give a sketch of the causes which gave rise to such, until then, unheard
of theories which have been the direct cause of more than one-half the
troubles growing out of the fur-seal question in Bering Sea.

As already shown by the testimony of Messrs. H. H. Mclntyre, T. F.

Morgan, Daniel Webster, J. C. Eedpath, Dr. Koyes, and others who

were on the seal islands for many years, it was not until 188G the first

unmistakable decrease of the seal herd was ap))arent. Had the facta

been reported immediately to the Department and the true cause of

such a sudden shrinkage shown, steps might have been taken which

would have prevented further pelagic sealing, or at least an addition to

the sealing fleet; but unfortunately an overzealous Treasury agent

reported an increase of nearly 2,000,000 since Elliott's measurements

and estimates, some fourteen years earlier; and again, in 1888, he tells

the Department:

I am happy to be able to report that although late lauding the breeding rookeries
are filled out to the lines of measurement heretofore made, and some of them much
beyond those lines, showing conclusively that seal life is not being depleted, but la
fully up to the estimates given in my report of 1887. (Report of G. R. Tingle, 1888.)

When that report was written, and before it was written, everyone
on the seal islands knew there were indications of a decrease of the
seal herd, and the employees of the lessees so reported at the time to
the superintendent, Dr. H. H. Mclntyre, who tells us:

I repeatedly ])oinled out to our company and to the special Treasury agents during
the seasons of 1887, 1888, .and 1889 that the seals were rapidly diminishing, and that
in order to get the full quota allowed by law we were obliged to kill, in increasing
numbers in each of those years, animals that should have been allowed to attain
greater size; and, finally, the catch of 1889 was mostly of this class. (See Mclntyre
to Jeft'ries, December 15, 1890, Appendix.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 55

Mr. "Daniel Webster, the oldest and one of the most reliable and prac-
tical of sealers, tells, under oath:

In 1884 and 1885 I noticed a decrease, and it became so marked in 1886 that every-
one ou the islands saw it. This marked decreasn in 1886 showed itseK on all the rook-
eries on both islands. (See affidavit in Appendix.)

And Mr. J. C. Redpath, the local agent for the lessees, after an expe-
rience of twenty years on the islands, says :

As the schooners (pelagic hnnters) increased, the seals decreased, and the lines of
contraction on the rookeries were noticed to draw nearor and nearer to the beach,
and the killable seals became fewer in rnimliers and harder to lind. In 1886 the
decrease was so plain that the nativeff^ind all the agents were startled. (Ibid.)

In 1880 the usual annual quota of 100,000 could not be found without
taking 50,000 young seals whose skins did not average more than 4
pounds each.

It was then that the apparent and appalling suddenness of the
decrease aroused in the minds of those who were neither practical
sealers nor had definite knowledge of seal life on the rookeries doubts
as to the true cause of the decrease, and of the actual conditions exist-
ing on the seal islands so soon after an official report bad appeared
affirming the fact of an increase of over 2,000,000 seals in fourteen years.

Theories, as numerous as the men who broached them, were launched
forth to a still doubting world; from press and platform came an array
of argument and statistics as erroneous as they were bewildering; and
when the Treasury agent's reports reached the Department it was
decided to send an extra special agent to the islands to thoroughly
investigate the conditions existing there and if possible to find the
cause of the sudden decrease of the fur-seal herd; and Mr. Henry W.
Elliott was selected for that important work.

When, in 1890, Mr. Elliott reached the seal islands after an absence
of fourteen years, and found only a scant one fifth of the seals that he
saw there in 1876, he impulsively and erroneously concluded that the
driving of the young males from the hauling grounds was injurious to
their healthy growth and full development; that it produced impotency
and destroyed their usefulness as breeders on the rookeries, thus pro-
ducing a dearth of breeding males and a surplus of barren cows, and,
without a shadow of proof to sustain him, he made out a most elaborate
report in which he labored to show the truth of his new and wonderful
theory, and then felt personally hurt and wronged because the Gov-
ernment refused to indorse or approve it.^

Every enemy of the United States in both hemispheres, however,
hailed it with delight, and quoted from it against us with much appro-
bation until, after years of patient research and scientific investiga-
tion on the part of the United States and of Great Britain, it was
demonstrated that EUiott was in error, and that pelagic sealing is the
cause of the sudden and rapid destruction of the American fur seal.

In his overanxiety to prove his theory he persistently continues to
reiterate the story of a time when no drives were made from a number
of places on St. Paul Island where a great "reservoir of surplus male
life" was held in reserve; but I will let him tell his own story;

In 1872-1874 when no driving was made from Southwest Point, Zapadnie, and all
English Bay to the westward of Neahrpahskie Kanmiou, from Polavina, or anywhere
between it and the hauling grouuds of Lukannon, then there were reservoirs of

• See letter of Secretary of the Treasury, Appendix.

56 ALASKA INDURTRTES.

yoting male life which were not dra-vm upon or distnrl)ed, from which a steady
stream of new male blood for the breeding grounds could and did flow. (Elliott's
report (Paris print), 1890, p. 237.)

Again, he says :

Nobody, in 1872, ever thought of such a thing as coming over from the village to
make a killing at Zapadnie. (Ibid., p. 246.)

He continues:

I had this point in my thought during my studies in 1872-1874, but at that time no
holluschickie were driven from kSouthwest Point, from Zapadnie, from Tonkee Mees
or Stony Point, or from Polavinia — no seals were driven from these places where
everybody admitted that full half of the entire number belonging to the islands,
laid. (Ibid., 271.)

Then that immense spread of hauling ground covered by swarms of young male
seals, at Zajtadnie, at Southwest Point, .at Engli«h Kay, beyond Middle Hill, west,
at Polavinia, and over all that 8 long miles of beach and ui)land hauling ground
between Lukannon Bay and Webster's house at Novastoshuah, all of this extensive
sealing area was not visited by sealing gangs, or spoken of by them as necessary to
be driven from. (Elliott's letter to the Secretary of the Treasury, report of 1890,
p. iv.)

In 1872-1874 I observed that all the young male seals needed for the annual quota
of 75,000 or 90,000, as it was ordered in the latter year, were easily oTitained every
season, between the 1st of June and the 20th of .July following, from the hauling grounds
of Tolstoi, Lukannon, and Zoltoi Sands — from these hauling grounds adjacent to the
rookeries or breeding grounds of Tolstoi, Lukannon, Reef, and Garbotch. All of these
points of supply beiug not more than 1^ miles distant from the St. Paul village kill-
ing grounds, the Zoltoi drive being less than 600 i'eet away. (Ibid.)

Therefore, when attentively studying in 1872-1874, the subject of what was the
effect of killing annually 100,000 young male seals on these islands (90,000 on St.
Paul and 10,000 on St. George), in view of the foregoing statement of fact, I was
unable to see how any harm was being done to the regular sup})ly of fresh blood for
the breeding rookeries, since those large reservoirs of surplus male life, above named,
held at least just half of the young male seal life then belonging to the islands —
these large sources of sujtply were never driven from, never even visited by the
sealers, and out of their overwhehning abundance I thought that surely enough
fresh male seal life must, did annually mature for service on the breeding rookeries.
(Ibid.)

That day in 1879, when it became necessary to send a sealing gang from St. Paul
village over to Zapaduieto regnlarly drive from that hitherto untouched reserve,
was the day that danger first appeared in tangible form since 1870 — since 1857 for
that matter. (Ibid.)

For the good of the public service the truth must be told; and that
is that the official records of the drives and Icilliugs on the islands of
St. Paul and St. George are in direct opposition to Mr. Elliott. They
show that, beginning in 1871, there are no records of tlie daily killings
for 1870 — drives were made regularly from every hauling ground on the
islands: and a close inspection will reveal the fact that an aggregate of
102 drives were made, before 1879, from Zapadnie or Southwest Bay,
Polavinia or Halfway Point, and from English Bay, during the very
period of which Mr. Elliott speaks when he tells us "they were never
driven from, never even visited by the sealers."

For convenience of reference I quote from the official island records
the daily drives and killings made between 1870 and 1879 from the three
principal rookeries of which Mr. Elliott speaks so positively; and 1
think it will be sufficient to show every fair-minded man in the country
that the large reservoir of "surplus male life" so often spoken of by
Mr. Elliott was unknown to everyone else on the seal islands, and never
had an existence outside his own fertile imagination.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

67

Here are the drives made each year from 1871 to 1878, both inclusive,
from the rookeries iu question:

Tear.

Zapadnie.

or

Southwest

Bay.

Polavina,

or

Halfway

Point.

English
Bay.

Total.

1871

2
1
5
5
7
6
4
4

1
1

6

11
7

10

10

4

5

5

9

1872 . .

13

1873 .

1^

1874

If.

1875

1
1
3
3

li!

1876

11

1877

12

1878

12

Total

34

10

58

102

(See Senate Ex. Doc. No. 107, Fifty-secoud. Congress, second session, Appendix.)

In an attempt to show that it was not until 1879 that drives were
made from certain rookeries which he is pleased to call a "large reser-
voir of male life," which had not been disturbed or touched before 1879,
Mr. Elliott quotes the Island Journal as follows:

Page 92, June 9, 1879: Antone Melovedov started with a gang to make a drive at
Halfway I'oiut, Polaviua. (Elliott's report (Paris print), 158.)

Page 93, June 10,1879: The drive to-day (at Polavina) resulted in the taking of
1,118 skins. (H.G.Otis.) (Ibid., 159.)

Page 93, June 11, 1879: The drive from Southwest Bay (Zapadnie) to-day, and
1,462 skins taken. (H. G. Otis.) (Ibid., 159.)

There is not a word in the foregoing, nor is there a word in the

journal, to show that the drives mentioned were the first that were

made from those rookeries, but Mr. Elliott is determined to show that

overdriving is the principal cause of the destruction of the seals, and

he continues :

From this day (June 11, 1879) on to the close of that sealing season's work, .luly
20, Zapadnie was driven often, and Polavina also; but in 1880 only one drive was
made from this reservoir at Zapadnie, * * * and, again iu 1881, it was not driven
from at all, and only one drive that vear made from the Polavina reserve. (Elliott's
report for 1890, p. 159.)

Here the gentleman is again in error, for I find that drives were made
from Zapadnie or Soutliwest Bay on May 19 and June 7, 1879, only a few
days before he discovered that the first drive had been made on the 9th
of June.

And in 1880 four drives were made from Zapadnie and five from
Polavina, and in 1881 six drives were made from Zapadnie and five
from Polavina, as the following table, taken from the island records,
will show:

Zapadnie or Southwest Bay :

1880. Drives.
May 14 1

June 8-
12.
16.

Total

1881.
June 7.

15.

28.
July 6.

14.
Dec. 7.

Total

(See Senate Ex. Doc

Polavina or

1880.
June 14 .

Halfway Point:

Drives.

21.

28.

July 5.

30

Total

5

1881.
June 10.

17

24

July 2

8

Total

5

6
-sc. Olid Congress, second session. Appendix.)

5S ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Many inaccuracies are to be found in Mr. Elliott's report of 1890, due,
perhaps, to the hurried manner in which it was prepared, and the
bitterness, excitement, and many disappointments attending it all the
way through; nearly all of which were of a private character, and
which can not well be made public, even had I a desire to do so, which
I have not by any means. One instance more and I am done.

In his " field notes" on the state of the rookeries in 1800, Mr. Elliott
writes ':

June 19. — Not a single holluschak of any age whatsoever on Zoltoi Sands this day,
and there has not heen a killable seal thus far there this season. (Elliott's report,
1890 (Paris print), pp. 263-264.)

June 22. — Fine weather for seals to haul in continues, but the seals do not haul ;
not a single seal on Zoltoi Sands this morning; has not heen a holluschak there yet.
(Ibid., p. 264.)

Junt 22. — Now, not a single young male seal has hauled on Zoltoi thus far this sea-
son. (June 22, 6 a. ni.) (Ibid., p. 265.)

June 22. — Not a seal on Zoltoi Sands this morning, and not one since during the
day. (Ibid., p. 266.)

June 22. — Not a holluschak or any other class of fur seal on Zoltoi Sands this morn-
ing or noon. (Ibid., p. 274.)

June 30. — Not a holluschak on Zoltoi Sands to-day. (Ibid., p. 276.)

Juhj 8. — Also, not a holluschak has as yet hauled upon Zoltoi Sands. (Ibid.,
p. 284.)

July 19. — I observe that not a single young male is on Zoltoi Sands this morning —
not one has hauled there thus far this season. (Ibid., p. 295.)

The official records of the drives and killings made on the seal islands
in 1890 are on file in the Treasury Department, and a copy will be found
in the appendix to this report. I quote from the records the following
drives from Zoltoi in 1890: " May 21, 1 drive; July 19, 1 drive."

According to Mr. Elliott there was not a seal on Zoltoi on the 19th of
July; according to the island records a drive was made from Zoltoi on
that very same day.

Another error of like importance are the two passages in the same
report which read as follows:

The importance of understanding ihis fact as to the readiness of the holluschickie
to haul promptly out on steadily "swept" ground, provided the weather is inviting,
is very great, because when not understood, it was deemed necessary, even as late as
the season of 1872, to ''rest'" the hauling grounds near the vUlaee (from which all
the driving has been made since), and make trips to far-away Polavina and distant
Zapadnie, an unnecessary expenditure of human time and a causeless infliction of
physical misery upon phocine backs and flippers. (Elliott's report, 1890, p. 122.)

Nobody in 1872 ever thought of such a thing as coming over from the village to
make a killing at Zapadnie. (Ibid., p. 246.)

At page 122 Mr. ElHott remembered and acknowledged that drives
were made in 1872 from Zapadnie and Polavina, and the records con-
firm his story.

He might have included 1871, for the records show drives were made
from both places in that year also.

At page 216 he seems to have forgotten some of what he had already
written, for he gravely tells us: "Nobody in 1872 ever thouglit of such
a thing as coming over from the village to make a killing at Zapadnie."

Enough has been said, I think, for the purpose of showing the public
how it happens, sometimes, that matters of small moment in themselves
may beget questions so momentous that it requires international arbi-
tration to settle them; and that the report of one overzealous officer
and the official report of another, made in anger and bitterness, have
cost the United States a whole fur-seal herd, worth, originally, nearly
$100,000,000.

So numerous and so palpable were the inaccuracies all through the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 59

report that Mr. Foster, the then Secretary of the Treasury, refused to
have it i^ublished, aud subsequeutly, in a letter to the State Depart-
ment, gave good reasons for such action. ^

Tluit the theory of injury of tbe young males to the extent of impo-
tency by driving on the islands, so forcibly presented by Mr. Elliott,
has been denied by naturalists generally and disproved by facts
adduced by both the scientific and the practical world, has already
been amply demonstrated; that Mr. Elliott himself, in several very
able papers subsequeutly written, has adopted the views of every
scientist of note, from our own American, Dr. Merriam, to Prof. T. H.
Huxley, is satisfactory evidence, I think, that the bitter contention is
practically ended, and the claim of the United States, that pelagic
sealing is the cause of the decrease of the seal herd, is generally
acknowledged.

PELAGIC SEALING AND DIPLOMACY.

When tlie actual condition of the seal herd became known in 1890-91,
and the ravages of the pelagic sealer could no longer be hidden, it was
suggested that arbitration be tried for a final adjustment of all difler-
ences between the United States and the pelagic sealer. The seals
being born and reared on United States territory, and never landing
anywhere else, it was naturally supposed they were the property of the
United States, and until their skins became commercially and exceed-
ingly valuable no one questioned our absolute ownership of the herd.
So sure were we of our unquestioned title to the seals that, on taking
possession of our newly acquired Territory of Alaska, Congress enacted
laws for the protection of Alaskan interests and particularly for the
protection of all "fur-bearing animals." A few sections of the statute
law, in the light of subsequent events, are interesting:

Sec. 1960. It shall be unlawful to kill any fur seal upon the islands of St. Paul
and St. George, or in the waters adjacent thereto, except during the months of June,
July, September, and October in each year; and it shall be unlawful to kill such
seals at auy time by the use of firearms or by other means tending to drive the seals
away from those islands; but the natives of the islands shall have the privilege of
killing such young seals as may be necessary for their own food and clothing during
(.ther months, and also such old seals as may be required for their own clothing and
for the manufacture of boats for their own use; and the killing in such cases shall
be limited and controlled by such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary
of the Treasury.

Sec. 1961. It shall be unlawful to kill any female seal, or any seal less than one
year old, at any season of the year, except as above provided; and it shall also be
unlawful to kill any seal in the waters adjacent to the islands of St. Paul and St.
George, or on the beaches, cliffs, or rocks where they haul up from the sea to remain;
and every person who violates the provisions of this or the preceding section shall
be punished for each offence by a fine of not less than two hundred dollars nor more
than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not more than six months, or by
both such fine and imprisonment; and all vessels, their tackle, apparel, and furni-
ture, whose crews are found engaged in the violation of either this or the preceding
section, shall be forfeited to the United States.

Sec. 1962. For the period of twenty years from the first of July, eighteen hun-
dred and seventy, the number of fur seals which may be killed for their skins upon
the island of St. Paul is limited to seventy-five thousand per annum; and the nuni-
ber of fur seals which may be killed for their skins upon the island of St. George is
limited to twenty -five thousand per annum; but the Secretary of the Treasury may
limit the right of killing if it becomes necessary for the preservation of such seals,
with such proportionate reduction of the rents reserved to the Governinent as may
be proper; and every person who knowingly violates either of the provisions of this
section shall be punished as provided in the preceding section.

Sec. 1967. Every person who kills any fur seal on either of those islands, orinth«
waters adjacent tliereto, without authority of the lessees thereof, and every person

1 See letter in Appendix.

60 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

who molests, disturhs, or interferes witla the lessees, or either of them, or their
agents, or employees, in the lawful prosecution of their busiuess, under the provi-
sions of this chapter, shall for each ofi'ence be punished as prescribed in section nine-
teen hundred and sixty-one, and all vessels, their tackle, apparel, appurtenances,
and cargo, whose crews are found engaged in any violation of the provisions of sec-
tion nineteen hundred and sixty-five to nineteen hundred and sixty-eight, inclusive,
shall be forfeited to the United States.

Sec. 1968. If any person or com])any, under any lease herein authorized, know-
ingly kills, or permits to be killed, any number of seals exceeding the number for
each island in this chapter prescribed, such person or company shall, in addition to
the penalties and forfeitures herein provided, forfeit the whole number of the skins
of seals killed in that year, or, in case the same have been disposed of, then such
person or company shall forfeit the value of the same.

Thus for a quarter of a century did the United States throw every
possible safeguard of law around the seals and other fur-bearing ani-
mals of Alaska, which, under the fostering care of the Government,
and the good management of the lessees on the seal islands, j^roduced
the grand results of "growth and expansion" in the herd and on the
rookeries, sworn to hj so many disinterested witnesses who have had
ocular knowledge of every fact to which they testified, while during
the same period of time the sea otter, which, owing to its pelagic habits,
was necessarily left to the tender mercies of the pelagic hunter, who
knows no law higher or holier than avarice and selfishness, has been
practically exterminated. Laws were enacted from time to time as
occasion required them; regulations in accordance with. law were made
annually for the proper enforcement of the statutes and for the better-
ment of the natives of the seal islands and the industry upon which
they depended for a livelihood, and on which millions of civilized people
depended for one of the most beautiful, valuable, and useful furs known
to commerce.

Who else, among the thousands now claiming an interest in the seals,
ever offered to protect them as we have done?

Where was the pelagic sealer in the days gone by, when the United
States were spending millions of money to protect the seal islands, and
when our statutes of jDrotection to the female seal were being enacted?
Echo answers, "Where?"

Immediately after the treaty of cession, and before we could bring
order out of chaos, the marauder of those days landed on the seal
islands and slaughtered seals indiscriminately, killing a quarter of a
million in one season, and only stopping the ruinous work when the
salt was exhausted.

Afterwards the United States statutes were enforced by Government
agents sent to the islands for the purpose, and, until 1884, the seals
increased in numbers and in value under the fostering care of the
Government.

For a ])eriod of thirteen years, from 1871 to 1884, inclusive, we had
taken 100,0(10 male seals annually without a sign of decrease or diminu-
tion on the rookeries or the slightest injury to the herd, but, on the
contrary, a well-known and generally acknowledged growth and expan-
sion.

Dr. H. H. Mclntyre, general superintendent for the Alaska Commer-
cial Company at tlie seal i.slands during the entire term of their twenty
years lease, when writing confidentially to his company in 1889, says:

The breeding rookeries from the beginning of the lease to 1882 or 1883 were, I
believe, constantly increasing in area and po^julation, and my observations in this
direction are in accordance with those of Mr. Morgan, Mr. Webster, and others, who
have been for many j'ears with me in your service, and of tbe late special Treas-
ury agent, J. M. Morton, who was on the islands from 1870 to 1880. (See letter in
Appendix.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 61

In 1884 an increased fleet of pelagic sealers appear upon the scene,
and with vessels specially designed and fully e(juipi)ed for the work,
they follow the seals from year's end to year's end, shooting, spearing,
and ripping up all they overtake, without a thought or care for age,
sex, or condition ; and immediately the rookeries show signs of diminu-
tion to those who, like Morgau and Webster, had the experience and
the opportunity to observe it.

Dr. Mclntyre, in the letter already quoted, continues:

The contrast between tlio present condition of seal life and that of the first dec-
ade of the lease is so marked that the most inexpert can not fail to notice it. Just
when the change commenced I am unable from personal observation to say, for, as
you will remember, I Avas in ill health, and unable to visit the islands in 1883, 1884,
and 1885. I left the rookeries in 1882 in their fullest and best condition, and found
them in 1886 already showing a slight falling oft", and experienced that year for the
first time some difficulty in securing just the class of animals in every case that we
desired. * * * For the cause of the present diminution of seal life we have
not far to look. It is directly traceable to the illicit Icilling of seals of every age
and sex during the last few years in the waters of the North Pacific and Bering Sea.
We are in no way responsible for it. During the first thirteen years of the lease
conix»aratively few seals were killed by marauders, and we were then able, * * *
under our careful management, to produce a decided expansion of the breeding
rookeries.

Dr. Mclntyre's letter was written in 1889, when the effects of pelagic
sealing first startled the civilized world, and his statements were met
with doubt or open denial from all who were ignorant of the situation,
and with the charge, from iDelagic sealers and their apologists, that the
Americans had destroyed the seals by overdriving on land.

The absurdity aud the injustice of this idle charge have been shown
in many waj^s during the discussion of the seal question, but it is reit-
erated jvgaiii and again by those who have established what they are
pleased to call an "industry," the chief corner stone of which is the
killing of the female seals at sea — of seals about to become mothers,
from whose suddenly ripped bellies the unborn young are cut, or torn
out alive and thrown into the ocean — of mothers whose young have
been left upon the rookeries during their absence on the feeding grounds,
left to die of slow starvation where, as Oaj)tain Coulson truly says,
"the shores are lined with emaciated, hungry little fellows, with their
eyes turned toward the sea, uttering jilaintive cries for their mothers,
which were destined never to return."

And, hard as it may seem, and difficult to believe though it may be,
it was with this same pelagic sealer, or for his sake at least, we were
asked to arbitrate the question of our exclusive right of property in
the seal herd, and of our right to protect them outside of the ordinary,
"3 miles," limit from the laud upon which they were born aud which
they made their home.

Even Mr, Elliott was induced to lend his influence to the scheme for
arbitration, aud, after his return from the seal islands in 1890, we find
him addressing Mr. Blaine, who was then Secretary of State, as follows:

Let me again, just before I leave, earnestly urge that you do not hesitate to invite
an English commission to meet us, aud jointly visit and view the Pribilof seal rook-
eries next summer at the height of tke breeding season in July. That wreck and
ruin thereon, which I saw last summer, will be there, and still more pronounced
on the same ground next year (1891) ; it will not fail to arouse the interest and sym-
pathy of the British agents, and the sight of these dwindling herds will b&a most
eloquent and satisfactory proof of the correctness of your position taken in your
leading letter of January 22, 1890, and upon the truth of which your whole argument
in the I3ering Sea question rests. It is not quite fair to ask .John Bull to believe me
now, * * * tut I assure you that if he gets up there he will soon see enough to
make him respect me, and be our sworn friend in cooperating to save the fur seal
from impending extermination. Indeed, he should be allowed to see for himself now;
it is onlv manly aud fair in us to allow him to do so under the circumstances.
(Elliott to Blaine, December 19, 1890.)

62 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

The English commission was invited as suggested by Mr. Elliott ; the
commissioners arrived at the seal islands in the latter part of July, 1891 ;
they visited the rookeries and saw the "wreck and ruin thereon;" they
noted the "dwindling herds," and they saw new grass growing on acres
of ground where, a few years earlier, hundreds of thousands of seals
swarmed in season and brought forth their young. The commissioners
found acres of ground covered with dead pup seals as thick as they
could lie — "emaciated little fellows" — whose mothers had gone out to
the feeding banks, and were captured by the pelagic sealers.

Whether the visit induced them to believe or respect Mr. Elliott
remains to be seen, but it certainly did not "arouse their interest or
sympathy" for the seals, or for the nation that claimed the right to pro-
tect them. Nor did it make them "our sworn friends in cooperating to
save the fur seal from impending extermination."

On the contrary, though, they adopted Mr. Elliott's own exploded
theories of overdriving, impotency, dearth of bulls, lack of young male
blood, redriving, scraping the rookeries, stampeding, and added two or
three more of their own, almost as absurd and nonsensical; and they
wound up their sympathetic and impartial labor in behalf of protection
for fur seals by the following regulations suggested by the British
Bering Sea commissioners:

(B) Specific Scheme of Eegulations Recommendkd.

155. In "View of the actual condition of seal life as it presents itself to us at the
present time, w© believe that the requisite degree of protection would be afforded by
the application of the following specific limitations at shore and at sea:

(a) The maximum number of seals to be taken on the Pribilof Islands to be fixed
at 50,000.

(h) A zone of protected waters to be established, extending to a distance of 20
nautical miles from the islands.

(c) A close season to be provided, extending from the 15th of September to the Ist
of May in each year, during which all killing of seals shall be prohibited, with the
additional provision that no sealing vessel shall enter Bering Sea before the 1st of
July in each year.

156. Respecting the compensatory feature of such specific regulations, it is believed
that a, just scale of equivalency as between shore and sea sealing would be found,
and a complete check established against any undue diminution of seals, by adopting
the following as a unit of compensatory regulation :

For each decrease of 10,000 in the number lixed for killing on the islands, an
increase of 10 nautical miles to be given to the width of protected waters about the
islands. The minimum number to be fixed for killing on the islands to be 10,000,
corresponding to a maximum width of protected waters of 60 uautical miles.

157. The above regulations represent measures at sea and ashore sufficiently equiv-
alent for all practical purposes, and probably embody or provide for regulations as
applied to sealing on the high seas aa stringent as would be admitted by any mari-
time power, whether directly or only potentially interested.

158. Ab an alternative method of effecting a compensatory adjustment of the strin-
gency of measures of protection, it is possible that some advantages might be found
in the adoption of a sliding scale of length for the season of sealing at sea, with a
fixed width of zone of protection about the islands.

In this case it is believed that, in correspondence with a decrease of 10,000 seals
killed upon the breeding islands, the length of the sealing season at sea might be
curtailed by seven days, such curtailment to be applied either to the opening or clos-
ing time of the sealing season.

159. It may be objected to the principle involved in any correlative regulation of
shore and sea sealing that it would be impossible in any particular year to make
known the number fixed for killing on the islands in time to secure a corresponding
regulation of pelagic sealing. As a matter of fact, however, if the condition of the
breeding rookeries called for any change, it should be possiljle to fix this number
with sufficient precision a year in advance, while, on the other hand, the general
effect would be almost equally advantageous if the number killed on the islands in
any one year were employed as the factor of regulation for pelagic sealing in the fol-
lowiug year.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 63

160. ^VLile a zone of proteetion has been siioken of as the best method of safely
guarding the viciiiitj' of the breeding ishuids, it is to be borne in mind that such an
area might be deiiued for practical purposes as a rectangular area bounded by certain
lines of latitude and longitude. Even in dense fog, and therefore comparatively
calm weather, an arrested vessel could be anchored with a kedge and warp until tlie
weather cleared, according to frequent custom. The special advantages of a concen-
tric zone appear to be that it is more directly in coni'orniity with the object in view,
and that in tine weather the visibility or otherwise of the islands themselves might
serve as a rough guide to sealers.

161. The restriction of the number of seals killed on the breeding islands, appro-
priate safeguards being provided, admits of very considerable precision and requires
no special explanation. That the restriction of the number taken at sea may be
accomplished practically and with all necessary certainty, and that the means of con-
trol available in the case of this branch of the sealing industry are sufficient, is
clearly shown by the successful application of measures such as tliese here proposed,
to the Jan-Mayen and Newfoundland hair-seal fisheries, as well as of those based on
like principles, which are generally employed in protecting fish and game.

(C) Methods of Giving Effect to Eegulations.

162. The means suited to secure the practical efficiency of regulations at sea are
generally indicated by those adopted in the instances just cited. It is unnecessary
to formulate these here in full detail, but the following suggestions are ottered as
pointing out those methods likely to prove most useful in the particular case under
consideration :

(1) Statutory provisions should be made, declaring it unlawful to hunt or take
fur seal during the close season by subjects or vessels of the respective powers.

(2) The time of commencement of the sealing season should be further regulated
by the date of issuance of special customs clearances and of licenses for sealing, and
preferably by the issuance of such clearances or licenses from certain specified ports
only.

(3) As elsewhere explained, the regulation of the time of opening of the sealing
season is the most important, and the closing of the season is practically brought
about by the onset of rough weather in the early autumn. If, however, it be con-
sidered desirable to fix a precise date for the close of sea sealing in each year, this
can be done, as in the case of the date of sealing under the Jan-Mayen convention.

(4) The liability for breach of regulations, of whatever kind, should be made to
apply to the owner, to the master, or person in charge of any vessel, and to the hunt-
ers engaged on the vessel.

(5) The penalty imposed should be a fine (of which one-half should go to the
informant), with possibly, in aggravated cases or second offenses, the forfeiture of
the catch and of the vessel itself.

(6) 1*^0 facilitate the supervision of the seal fishery and the execution of the regu-
lations, all sealers might, in addition, be required to fly a distinctive flag, which
might well be identical with or some color modification of that already adopted for
the same purpose by the Jaj>anese Government.

(D) Alternative Methods op Eegulation.

163. Although the general scheme of measures above described appears to us, all
things considered, to be the most appropriate to the actual circumstances, measures
of other kinds have suggested themselves. Some of these, though perhaps less per-
fectly adapted to secure the fullest advantages, recommend themselves from their
very simplicity and the ease with which they might be applied. Of such alternative
methods of regulations, three may be specially referred to :

(1) Entire prohibition of killing on one of the breeding islands, with suitable concurrent

regulations at sea.

164. The entire reservation and protection of one of the two larger islands of the
Pribilof group, either St. Paul or St. George Island, might be assured; such island
to be maintained as an undisturbed breeding place, upon which no seals shall be
killed for any purpose. On the remaining island the number of seals killed for com-
mercial purposes would remain wholly under the control of the Government of the
United States.

In consideration of the guaranteed preservation of a breeding island with the pur-
pose of insuring the continuance of the seal stock in the common interest, a zone of
protected waters might be established about the Pribilof Islands, and pelagic seal-
ing might be further controlled ami restricted by means of a close season, including
the early spring months, or by a protected area to the south of the Aleutian Islands,
defined by parallels of latitude, such provisions at sea to have, as far as possible,
quautivalent relation to those established on the breeding islands.

64 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

(2) Becurrent periods of rest.

165. This implies the provision of a period of rest or exemption of all seals from
killing, both at sea and on shore, to extend over a complete year at such recurrent
intervals as may be deemed necessary.

Snch a period of rest might be fixed in advance for every fifth, or possibly as often
as every fourth year, and be made to form a part of a general scheme imposing
limitation of number of seals killed on the islands in intervening years, together
with restriction by time or by area of pelagic seiiling.

While proximately equal in effect on both shore aud sea killing a period of rest of
this kind would, in other respects, cause some inconvenience, by its iiiterrnption of
the several industries, and this, though minimized by the fact that the date of occur-
rence of the year of rest would be known in advance, would not be wholly obviated
by this circumstance.

(3) Total prohibition of killing on the breeding islands, with concurrent strict regulation

of pelagic sealing.

166. While the circumstance that long usage may in a measure be considered as

i'nstifying the custom of killing fur seals on the breeding islands, many facts now
Luown respecting the life history of the animal itself, witli valid inferences drawn
from the results of the disturbance of other animals u])on their breeding places, as
well as those made obvious by the new conditions which have arisen in consequence
of the development of pelagic sealing, point to the conclusion that the breeding
islands should, if possible, remain undisturbe<l and inviolate.

167. If this view should be admitted, and particularly if the United States and
Russia, as the owners of the principal breeding islands of the North Pacific, should
agree to cooperate in entirely prohibiting all killing of seals on these islands, and
in guarding and protecting the breeding places upon them, it should be possible to
obtain, in consideration of such care exercised in the common interest, an inter-
national assent to measures regulating 8«a sealing of any required degree of strin-
gency, including certain special rights of supervision by the powers mentioned.

168. It might, for example, under such circumstances, be provided —

(1) That all sealing vessels should be registered, and should take out special
licenses at one or other of certain specified ports, as, for instance, Victoria, Port
Townsend, Honolulu, Hakodate, and Vladivostock.

(2) That such annual clearances or licenses be not issued before a given date (say
let of May), and that certain license fees be exacted. Such license fees to be col-
lected by the customs authorities of the licensing Government, and to be eventually
transferred, in whole or in part, proportionately, to the Governments protecting the
breeding islands, to go toward meeting the cost of this protection.

(3) That no vessel should seal in Bering Sea before some fixed date (say 1st of
July) in each year, and that vessels intending to seal in Bering Sea should report
either to the United States or to the Russian authorities on or after that date at
named ports, such as Unalaska or Petropavlovsk.

(4) That all duly licensed sealing vessels should be required to fly a distinctive
flag, and that any unlicensed vessel found engaged in sealing should be subject to
certain penalties.

(.t) That a zone of protected waters should be established about the breeding
islands, within which no sealing should under any circumstances be permitted.

(E) International Action.

169. In the foregoing remarks on the measures available for the protection and
preservation of the fur seal of the North Pacific, reference is made throughout espe-
cially to the eastern part of that ocean, including more particularly the area com-
prised in the range of those fur seals of which the summer haunts aud breeding places
are about or on the Prihilof Islands, and of which the winter home is found espe-
cially off the coast of British Columbia. It is evident, however, that the same
remarks and recommendations ap))ly equally to those fur seals which in summer
center about the Commander Islands and in Avinter frequent the seas off the coast of
Japan.

170. It may be stated, further, that no system of control can be considered as
absolutely complete and effective which does not include under common regulations
all parts of the North Pacific, and that the facility of execution of measures and
their efficiency would, under anj'^ system of regulations, be much increased by the
concurrent action of Great Britain, the United States, Russia, and Japan, as indicated
in the message of the President of the United States in 1889. Apart from the fact
that vessels prevented from scaling at given dates in certain areas might at these
times frequent other waters in increased numbers, the circumstance that there is a

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 66

certain though not fully known interrelation and interchange of seals between the
eastern and western breeding islands of Bering Sea points very clearly to the advis-
ability of such cooperation in protection. (Keport of British Bering Sea Commis-
sioners, p. 25.)

The most casual observer will see at a glance that the commission-
ers' suggestions are all in favor of the pelagic sealer and his "industry,"
and against the United States and the seals. That the public at large
may see this as I see it, I will briefly review a few of the most prominent
points suggested.

The commissioners say:

The maximum number of seals to be taken on the Pribilof Islands to be fixed at

50,000.

That is to say, the United States must agree to reduce their catch on
land one half, to begin with, and the suggestion, remember, was made
long after it was known that the pelagic sealers had captured 78,000
seals in 1891.

They continue :

A zone of protected waters to be established, extending to a distance of 20 nautical
miles from the islands.

As the largest catches are made at distances of from 80 to 200 miles
from the islands, and as the commissioners were well aware of that fact
when they made the suggestion, its worthlessness may be understood
so far as the protection and safety of the seals go.

Again, they suggest:

A close season to be provided, extending from the 15th of September to the Ist of
May in each year, during which all killing of seals shall be prohibited, with the
additional provision that no sealing vessel shall enter Bering Sea before the 1st of
July in each year.

As the killing season never did open on the islands till June, and
always closed on or before August 10 (excepting the few seals killed
from time to time for natives' food), and as it is from May to October that
protection is absolutely necessary for the preservation of the seal herd;
and as the pelagic sealer hardly ever enters Bering Sea before July it
is difficult to see how the "suggestion" could benefit the United States
or save the seals.

The next "suggestion" deserves careful attention, for it is the key-
note of the whole superstructure raised by the commissioners, who'say:

Respecting the compensatory feature of such speciiic regulations, it is believed
that a just scale of equivalency as between shore and sea sealing would be found,
and a complete check established against any undue diminution of seals, by adopt-
ing the following as a unit of compensatory regulation: For each decrease of 10,000
in the number fixed for killing on the islands, an increase of 10 nautical miles to be
given to the width of protected waters about the islands. The minimum number to
be fixed for killing on the islands to be 10,000, corresponding to a maximum width
of protected waters of 60 nautical miles.

Here they make the pelagic sealer the senior partner in the fiir-seal
"industry," and the repressive part of the "suggestion" is intended
for the United States only.

The situation at the start is to be something like this: The United
States are to kill not to exceed 50,000 seals, and the pelagic sealer is
not to approach the breeding islands nearer than 20 nautical miles.
Then for every additional 10 miles we would remove the pelagic sealer
we must reduce our catch on shore by 10,000, so that by the time he is
60 miles away our maximum catch is to be 10,000.

The first thought that suggests itself here is. What would happen
were we to ask him for a protected zone of 70 miles from the seal

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 5

(]6 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

islands'? Logically, we would have to stop killiug on the islands alto-
gether and turn them into breeding grounds for the use of a class of
sportsmen who are fond of the manly art of hunting gravid female
seals and cutting out their unborn young.

Turning to the "alternative methods of regulation" suggested by
the commissioners we find that they, too, were possessed of the same
thought, for they "suggest : "

Entire prohibition of killing on cue of the breeding islands, with suitable con-
current regulations at sea. The entire reservation and protection of one of the two
larger islands of the Pribilof group, either St. Paul or St. George Island, might be
assured; such island to be maintained as an undisturbed breeding place, upon which
no seals shall be killed for any purpose. On the remaining islands the number of
seals killed for commercial purposes would remain wholly under the control of the
Government of the Unitea States.

In consideration of the guaranteed preservation of a breeding island, with the
purpose of insuring the continuance of the seal stock in the common interest, a zone
of protected waters might be established about the Pribilof Islands, " * such

provisions at sea to have, as far as possible, quantivalent relation to those established
on the breeding islands. (See section 164.)

Growing bolder and bolder as they proceed they finally come for-
ward with a suggestion, which, for downright coolness, may well claim
"first place" among all the cool propositions made in any age or coun-
try; it is nothing less than the "total prohibition of killing on the breed-
ing islands, with concurrent strict regulation of pelagic sealing."

Here, at last, the mask is thrown ofi" and the commissioners stand
forth in their true character of "advocates" for the pelagic sealer and
apologists for his horrible methods.

It does not take long to get at the meaning of the "suggestions"
offered, for a careful reading shows at once the whole animus of the
thing is to prevent the killing of seals on the seal islands, and to turn
the whole herd over to the pelagic sealer.

Had the most heartless of all the pelagic sealers been given carte
blanche to write suggestions, the adoption of which would inure to his
own benefit, he could not improve on those of the British Bering Sea
commissioners.

This may seem to be a hard saying, but, from the testimony given by
the pelagic sealers themselves, it is well known that the killing of
female seals anywhere is sure destruction to the herd; and the British
commissioners have admitted it to be on more than one occasion.

Speaking of the indiscriminate killing of the seals at sea, they say:

But it is unfortunately the case that at certain seasons considerable numbers of
gravid females are thus killed, and this killing is deprecated by the better classes
of the pelagic sealers themselves, not alone on grounds of humanity, but because
they see clearly that it is unduly destructive to the industry in which their fortunes
are embarked. (Report of British Bering Sea commissioners, section 633, p. 109.)

And yet the gentlemen who say so are the same men who have
"suggested" the "total prohibition of killing on the breeding islands"
and the turning over of the seals to indiscriminate slaughter.

The commissioners were instructed to ascertain:

First. The actual facts as regards the alleged serious diminution of seal life on the
Pribilof Islands, the date at which such diminution began, the rate of its progress,
and any previous instance of a similar occurrence.

Second. The causes of such diminution; whether, and to what extent, it is
attributable —

(a) To a migration of the seals to other rookeries.

(h) To the method of killing i)ursued on the islands themselves.

(c) To the increase of sealing upon the high seas, and the manner in which it is
pursued.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 67

And tlieu they ^ere admonislied as follows:

I need scarcely remind you tbat your investigation should be carried on with strict
impartiality, that you should neglect no sources of information which may be likely
to assist you in arriving at a sound conclusion, and that great care should be taken
to sift the evidence that is brought before you.

It is equally to the interest of all the Governments concerned in the sealing industry
that it should be protected from all serious risk of extinction in consequence of the
use of wasteful and inj udicious methods. (British Bering Sea Commissioners' report,
p. 2.)

To which they replied as follows :

'To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty:

May it please Your Majesty, we, Your Majesty's commissioners, appointed to under-
take an inquiry into the condition of seal life and the precautions necessary for pre-
venting the extermination of the fur-seal species in Bering Sea and other parts of
the North Pacitic Ocean, beg to submit the following report. * * *

Wherefore, in carrying out the terms of our commission, it has been our object to
acquire and record the most complete information available, in order to promote, in
the true interests of all concerned an equitable, impartial, and mutually satisfac-
tory adjustment of the questions at issue. (British Bering Sea Commissioners' report,
p. 3.)

When Mr. Elliott was urging the appointment of a joint commission?
as the remedy for all our troubles on the seal islands, he addressed the
Secretary of State as follows:

November 22, 1890.

My Dear Mr. Blaine: * * * We must take some of the best British repre-
sentation up to the islands and let it see the wreck and ruin thereon.

I have no fear of the result; these Englishmen will return our friends, and work
in harmony with us in the labor of saving these anomalous interests from their
impending ruin.

I believe that subsequent events have shown him that his faith was
misplaced, to say the least, unless we can fully appreciate the kindness
with which they propose to prohibit all killing on the islands and assume
the whole burden themselves.

Had they suggested the prohibition of all pelagic sealing and an even
division between the nations interested of the burdens, expenses, and
proceeds resulting from a strict and constant protection of the breeding-
islands there would be some semblance of justice and right as well as a
d'esire to perpetuate the seals indefinitely; but the suggestion that the
United States shall be forbidden to kill seals ashore and that the islands
must be turned into breeding grounds for the sake of the pelagic sealer
is so repugnant to common sense and decency that were not the com-
missioners' report at my hand I should not believe they could have been
guilty of making such a suggestion under any circumstances, but
especially under the plea of protecting and perpetuating the fur seals.

Had they attempted to prove the wastefulness of present methods,
or had they quoted the testimony of one honest and disinterested per-
son to show that American management of the seals on the islands had
ever been inimical to their increase and improvement, there would be
some excuse for the suggestions offered, but it was beyond their power
to produce testimony of that sort.

Therefore, I deem the remarks of the American counsel at Paris on
this point as most just and opportune, ajid as they express my own views
much better than my own feeble words oan possibly do it I quote them
as follows :

We are reluctant to make any reference to motives; but where opinions are, as in
this case, made evidence, the question of good faith is necessarily relevant. Why is
it that these commissioners have chosen to disregard the plain dictates of reason
and natural laws which they were bound to accept, and to recommend some cheap
devices in their place, when they so clearly perceived those dictates ? We are not
permitted to think that this was in conscious violation of duty, if any other explanu-

68 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

tion ie possible. The only apology we can find comes from the fact, clearly appar-
ent upon nearly every page of their report, that the predominating interest which
they conceived themselves bound to regard was not the preservation of the seals,
but the protection of the Canadian sealers. This explanation at once accounts for
all their extraordinary recommendations, and all their varying inconsistencies.
Hence, every degree of restraint upon pelagic sealing is reluctantly conceded, and
yielded only when it is compensated for, and more than compensated for, by au
added 'restriction of the supply furnished to the market from the breeding islands.
As the work of the pelagic sealers ie on the one hand restricted in time or place, and
thus discouraged, it is on the other stimulated by the certainty of a better market
and a richer reward. So persistently and exclusively have they kept this jjolicy
before them as their main object, that au ideal has been formed in their minds which
they openly avow, and to attain which is their constant effort. This ideal is that
all taking of seals on land should be prohibited, and pelagic sealing be made the
only lawful mode of capture.

They thus express themselves: "It has been pointed out, and we believe it to be
probable, that if all killing of seals were prohibited on the breeding islands, and
these were strictly protected and safe-guarded against encroachment of any kind,
sealing at sea might be indefinitely continued without any notable diminution, in
consequence of the self regulative tendency of this industry."

And suggesting, as the only objection to this policy which occurs to them, that it
might be too much to expect of the United States to thus guard the islands and sup-
port a native population of 300 at its own expense, they continue : "It may be noted,
however, that some such arrangement would offer, perhaps, the best and simplest
solution of the pi-esent conflict of interests, for the citizens of the United States
would still have equal rights with all others to take seals at sea, and in consequence
of the proximity of their territory to the sealing grounds they would probably
become tl^e principal beneficiaries."

And they finally come to the conclusion that any taking of seals at the breeding
places is an error for which there is no defense except long usage, and even that
they regard as a doubtful apology. They say :

"While the circumstance that long usage may, in a measure, be considered as
justifying the custom of killing fur seals on the breeding islands, many facts now
known respecting the life history of the animal itself, with valid infereuces drawu
from the results of the disturbance of other animals upon their breeding places, as
well as those made obvious by the new conditions which have arisen in consequence
of the development of pelagic sealing, point to the conclusion that the breeding
islands should, if possible, remain undisturbed and inviolate."

These references to the opinions expressed in the report of the commissioners of
Great Britain, when taken together with the scheme recommended by them, leave
no room for doubt that the defense of the Canadian sealers was from first to last,
their predominating motive, and enable us to make for them the apology that they
conceived that this was the duty with which they were especially charged. If this
be the fact, it is easy to perceive how all their reasonings and recommendations
should receive a color and character. We feel obliged to say that we can perceive
no other ground upon which their action may be made consistent with good faith.
(Argument of the United States, p. 209.)

#*•**** m

The real conflict between the report of the British commissioners and the case of
the United States seems to be as to the number of cows in a harem. The British
commissioners assert that the numljer is unduly large of cows served by one bull;
the United States produce credible and experienced witnesses to show that, on the
contrary, the number of females is decreasing. A comparison is invited between
the two statements and the quality of proof adduced in favor of each It is plain
that the British commissioners could not admit the diminution in number of female
seals without admitting that decrease to be wholly due to pelagic slaughter. They
are therefore reduced to the necessity of insisting that there is a redundancy of
females and a deficit of males on the islands. They are kind enough to admit, how-
ever, that "the sparing of females in a degree prevented, for the time being, the
actual depletion of seals on the islands" (section 58). It is not jirobable that any
reasonable person will take issue with them on that point. The intelligence and
legislation of the civilized world, not to speak of humanity in its broad sense, have
concurrod that to spare the female was not the best but the only eftective method of
preventing depletion and eventual extermination.

Even if we should concede, for the sake of the argument and iu direct disregard
of the fact, that the diminution is due to the smaller number of males, we would
venture to remind this high tribunal, if such a remiuder were needed, that the
pirates or poachers who pursue and slaughter the pregnant and nursing females are
killing, by starvation in the one case, by the mother's death in the other, a large
number of males. Even, according to their own showing, the British commissioners

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 69

must realize that pelagic sealing is responsible, to some extent at least, for the
decrease in the number of males, as well as of females. They may speak of this
" industry," as they term it, and glorify it as requiring all the courage and skill
which can be brought to bear on it (whatever that may mean). (Section 609.)
They may contrast its "sportsmanlike " character with the "butchery" committed
on the islands (section 610) ; but they can not fail to perceive that the mode of
destruction, which principally deals with gravid females, necessarily strikes at the
very foundation of life, and must eventually extinguish the race, because, as they
mildlv state it, it is unduly destructive (section 633).

The pelagic sealer not only kills or attempts to kill the males that he happens to
meet, but prevents the birth of males to take their place. He often kills three with
one discharge of his rifle, viz, the mother, the unborn young, and the pup at home;
but he does it in a "sportsmanlike" manner, and he gives the sleeping animal a "fair
sporting chance for its life." (Section 610.) In many cases he either misses his
object or wounds it and loses it. So that there is by this manly process an utterly
useless waste of life, in many eases a waste more or less appalling as the " sportsman"
is more or less skillful. How destructive in reality this process is proven to be may
be seen from the British commissioners' report under the head of "Proportion of
seals lost" (p. 104, section 603). It must be a consolation to those disposed to extol
this kind of sport that while nearly " all the pelagic sealers concur in the opinion
that the fur seal is annually becoming more shy and wary at sea,'' it is certain that
"the dexterity of the hunters has been increased pari passu with the wariness of
the seals." (British commissioners' report, section 401.)

That the number of the seals has been diminished in recent years at a cumulative
rate and that such diminution is the consequence of destruction by man is certified by
the joint report of all the commissioners. That this human agency is pelagic sealing
exclusively, and not the mode, manner, or extent of capture upon the breeding
islands, is abundantly clear.

This follows necessarily from admitted facts. The fur seals being polygamous,
and each male sufficient for from 30 to 50 females, and being able to secure to himself
that number, it follows that there must be at all times a larger number of super-
fluous males, and the killing of them produces no permanent diminution of the
number of the herd. On the other hand, the killing of a single breeding female
necessarily reduces pro tanto the normal numbers.

An excessive killing of males might indeed tend toward a decrease if carried to
such an extent as not to leave enough for the purpose of eff"ectual impr«guation of
all the breeding females. The taking from these herds of 100,000 males would not,
if that were the only draft allowed, be excessive. This is evident from many con-
siderations.

(a) Those who, like the British commissioners, propose to allow pelagic sealing to
such an extent as would involve the annual slaughter of at least 50,000 females in
addition to a slaughter of 50,000 young males on the breeding islands can not cer-
tainly with the least consistency assert that the capture limited to 100,000 males
would be excessive. Nor could they consistently assert this, even though the pelagic
slaughter should be restricted (by some means which no one has yet suggested) to
10,000 females. It requires no argument to show that the destruction of even that
number would be rapidly disastrous to the herds.

(6) And when we turn to the proofs, they are conclusive that prior to the practice
upon any considerable scale of pelagic sealing the annual draft of 100,000 young
males did not tend to a diminution of numbers.

(c) Of course, it is easily possible that the indiscriminate slaughter effected by
pelagic sealing may soon so far reduce the birth rate as to make it difficult to obtain
the annual draft of 100,000 young males. This draft, under such circumstances,
would necessarily at once diminish the birth rate, for, the number of females being
less, a less number of males would be required. The number of the whole herd
might be rapidly diminished by the slaughter of females and thQ consequent diminu-
tion of the birth rate and still 100,000 males continue to be taken for a time without
damage. How soon a point would be reached at which so large a draft of males
from a constantly diminishing number of births would operate to produce an insuf-
ficiency of males is a problem which from want of precise knowledge of the relative
numbers of the sexes it would be difiicult to solve.

The British commissioners' report upon this subject is as follows:

"The systematic and persistent hunting and slaughter of the fur seal of the North
Pacific, both on the shore and at sea, has naturally and inevitably given rise to cer-
tain changes in the habits and mode of life of that animal, which are of importance
not only in themselves, but as indicating the effects of such pursuit and in show-
ing in what particular this is injurious to seal life as a whole. Such changes doubt-
less began more than a century ago, and some of them may be traced in the histor-
ical precis elsewhere given (section 782 et seq.). It is unfortunately true, however,
that the disturbance to the normal course of seal life has become even more serious

70 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

in recent years, aud that there is therefore no lack of materia] from -which to study
its character and effect even at the jircsent time.''

In the zeal of their advocacy on behalf of pelagic dealing and their denunciation
of the methods in use on the islands the commissioners have experienced much and
evident difficulty in framing their theory. If they admitted, in unqualified terms, a
decrease in number, the obvious deduction from the concession would be that the
unlimited slaughter of females must bear the blame and burden of such a result. If,
on the other hand, they should assert that the number actually increased, this would
only be consistent with an approval of the methods in use on the land. Between
this Scylla and this Charybdis a way of escape must be found, and it was found. The
ingenuity here displayed deserves full notice and acknowledgment. The joint report
contains this statement:

" We find that since the Alaska purchase a marked diminution in the number of
seals on and habitually resorting to the Pribilof Islands has taken place, that it has
been cumulative in effect, and that it is the result of excessive killing by man."

Bearing in mind that the fur seals forming the object of this controversy have no
other home on land than the Pribilof Islands, and that the British commissiouei's them-
selves concede that they, for the most part, breed on those islands; bearing in miud,
too, that these gentlemen have not yet discovered any other summer habitat for the
seals, it would seem that this declaration is equivalent, in its fair sense and meaning,
to a statement that the fur seals that frequent the American coast and the Bering
Sea have suffered a marked decrease.

Perhaps it was so intended by the British, as it was by the United States commis-
sioners; but if so, the former gentlemen have lost sight of their original intention
and have been led to nice distinctions, which we shall now examine.

That the seal, although "essentially pelagic" (section 26), has not yet learned to
breed at sea is not denied, although to the vision of the commissioners the prospect
of such a transformation or evolution is evidently not very remote. We must, in
justice to them, quote one single passage, which admirably illustrates the compla-
cency and self-confidence with which they wrest to their own purposes with unhesi-
tating violence the laws of nature and the mysteries of ulterior evolution. If this
quotation does not give a just idea of the imaginative powers of these officials
nothing but a perusal of the whole of their work will do them justice:

"The changes in the habits and mode of life of the seals naturally divide them-
selves into two classes, which may be considered separately. The first and most
direct and palpable of these is that shown in the increased shyness and wariness of
the animal, which, though always pelagic in its nature, has been forced by circum-
stances to shun the land more than before, so that but for the necessity imposed upon
it of seeking the shore at the season of birth of the young it might probably ere
this have become entirely pelagic."

An animal "always pelagic," forced by circumstances to shun the land more than
before, and which would become entirely pelagic long before this if it were not
obliged to seek the shore for so trifling an object as giving birth to its young, deserves
to be classed among the curiosities of nature. The difference between animals (now)
always pelagic and those (in the future) entirely pelagic may not readily be under-
stood without explanation not vouchsafed. How can they be always pelagic if they
are obliged to seek the land or perish, and why is it reasonable to talk of the prob-
ability of their becoming something different from what they are when that con-
jecture is based upon nothing but reckless and grotesque assumption? Of course,
this and other specimens of affront to common sense are merely gratuitous and
pointless vagaries. But the thesis must be sustained, viz, that the seals are not
even .amphibious animals; their resort to land is a merely accidental necessity, and
therefore the United States can no more claim a right to or possession in them than
in other "essentially pelagic animals," such as the whale, the codfish, or the turbot.

If anything more were needed to emphasize the absurdity of this defiance of well-
known facts and settjod distinctions in the animal world we might still further cite
the British commissioners on the subject of the seal pelage or shedding of hair. It
seems that these pelagic animals were not endowed by nature with the proper skin
to perform this function in their native element. Unless they can find a suitable
place out of water they retain the old hair and disregard the laws which would compel
an annual shedding. Lest this seem an exaggeration, read their report citing Mr.
Grebnitsky : "During the ' stagey' or shedding season their pelage becomes too thin
to afford a suitable protection from the water." (See section 202; also 281, 631, 632.)

It is hardly necessary to say that this theory, so gravely and seriously advanced,
that the seal is naturally and essentially a pelagic animal, is utterly unsustained by
evidence, is refuted by the language of the commissioners themselves, and disputed
by elementary writers. It is only necessary to ascertain how naturalists define
pelagic animals and then compare such definition with the known characteristics
and rudimentary elements of seal life (see especially for this the books of Johns Hop-
kins University). Besides, the unanimous and unquestioned testimony of the agents

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 71

for the Government and the lessees shows that the fur seals spend at least four
months of the year on the Pribilof Islands.

Having found, with the American commissioners, a marked diminution in the num-
ber of seals on and habitually resorting to the Pri)>ilof Islands, the British commis-
sioners proceed to show that the seals are more numerous than ever. They have,
no doubt, demonstrated this to their entire satisfaction on pages 72 and 73 of their
report. Captain Warren they quote as saying that he noticed no diminution in the
number of seals during the twenty years that he had been in that business, and, if
any change at all, an increase (section 403). To the same effect Captain Leary, who
says that in Bering Sea they were more numerous than he had ever seen them (sec-
tion 403), while Mr. Milne, collector of customs at Victoria, reports, what others
have said to him, that owners and masters do not entertain the slightest idea that
the seals are scarce (section 403). What a tribute this must be to the management of
the Pribilof Islands if, notwithstanding the conceded destruction of gravid and nurs-
ing females, these statements shouM be true. Capt. W. Cox took 1,000 seals in four
days 100 miles to the westward of the Pribilof Islands (section 405). He found the
seals much more phntilul in Bering Sea than he had ever seen them before. It would
have added much to the interest of Captain Cox's statement if he had told ns how
many of these seals gave evidence of having left their pups at home.

The l?ritish commissioners multiply the evidence to show that the general experi-
ence as stated to them has been that seals were equally or more abundant at sea at
the time of their extermination than they had been in former years. It is difficult
to treat this with the respect that a report emanating from gentlemen of character
and high official position should meet. Either the statement in the joint report is
true and the assumption of an increase is untrue, or vice versa. In view of the evi-
dence that these seals have no other home than the Pribilof Islands, it is plain,
beyond the necessity of demonstration, that all the seals killed by Captain Cox and
others in the Bering Sea were inhabitants of those islands, and the testimony only
goes to show that the mothers do go out to sea a hundred miles or more, as is sworn
to by the witnesses for the United States, and that it is while they are on the feeding
gi'ounds, or searching abroad for food, that they are captured by the Canadian poach-
ers. If this is not so, then let the commissioners or those advocating their views
tell ns where these seals slaughtered by Captain Cox and others found their "sum-
mer habitat."

Any pretense that the seals are decreasing at home — i. e., where they live through
the summer, and breed, and nurse, and shed their hair — and at the same time are
increasing in the sea is simply an absurdity. It would have added much to the value
of the testimony of all these masters if they had not sedulously avoided stating the
sex of the animals that they killed.

There is one, and one explanation only, of this, and that explanation makes the
stories above quoted plausible. The pelagic sealers were engaged in hunting nurs-
ing mothers on the feeding grounds where those animals are found in large numbers.
The decrease proved, and indeed admitted to exist (see joint re])ort), had not yet
been so great as to be manifest to those sealers who were so fortunate as to fall in
with a number of females either intent upon tinding the food necessary to produce a
flow of milk or sleeping on the surface of the water after feeding.

And here we may note another illustration of the thesis and its advocacy. Having
satisfied themselves that pelagic sealing rather operated to increase the supply of
seals they remembered that the killing of young males was objectionable and likely
to result in extermination, and thereupon discovered the fact that "a meeting of
natives was held" at which the aborigines unanimously expressed the opinion that
the seals had diminished and would continue to diminish from year to year (an
opinion, too plain, we think, for argnmen t), but they at once assign the reason, which
is not the killing of many females, but the extraordinary fact that " all the male seals
had been slaughtered without allowing any to come to maturity upon the breeding
grounds." (Section 438.)

Having thus proved that the seals were in a flourishing condition of increase, and
that they were <lecreasing in an alarming degree, the conclusion is reached that the
decrease is on the land and the increase in the water:

"The general efl'ect of these changes in the habits of the seals is to minimize the
number to be seen at any one time on the breeding islands, while the average num-
ber to be fo«nd at sea, at least proportionately, though perhaps in face of a general
decrease in the number of seals, not absolutely increased." (Section 445 of British
Commissioners' Report.)

Would it be irrelevant to inquire what was the "summer habitat" of the numer-
ous seals slaughtered by Captain Warr.'u, Captain L<ary, and Captain Cox? Were
they not all of the Pribilof family ? Did not the commissicmers, who quoted Captain
Cox to the effect that he had, no doubt in true sportsmanlike fashion, with a shot-
gun, killed 250 seals a day for four days, know that the enormous majority of these
were nursing mothers whose pups were starving at home? (Argument of the United
States. D. 288.^

72 ALASKA INDUSTRIES

PELAGIC SEALING, CLOSE SEASON, ETC.

That many honest and patriotic men have differed in their opinions
about the true cause of the destruction and threatened total extinction
of the Alaskan fur seal is not to be denied; for, unfortunately, the rival
interests have been so many and so diverse, and the seal islands are so
far beyond the reach and ken of the public, that it has been very diffi-
cult to get at the plain truth of the matter as it really exists. Above
all the theories advanced, however, there are two facts which are most
intimately connected with the discussion, which never should be lost
sight of if we would understand the matter thoroughly.

First. That from 1835, when the Eussians first prohibited the further
killing of the female seals, to 1884, when the pelagic sealers became
numerous and powerful, the seal herds grew and flourished and the
rookeries expanded notwithstanding long drives and other barbarous
methods continued until the United States purchased Alaska; and that
from 1868 to 1886 an average annual killing of 100,000 young males was
made before a sign of decrease or diminution appeared on the islands.

Second. In spite of all that has been said and reiterated against the
lessees' management of the islands and the methods pursued for so
many years in caring for the rookeries and the seals, in driving and
killing, and the waste of seal life resulting therefrom, it must be
admitted that under this same management (which has been the same,
practically for twenty-five years), the seals increased steadily from 1868
to 1884, or until the pelagic sealers appeared in force in Bering Sea.

These are facts that have been proved beyond the possibility of a
doubt, and although interested or meddlesome parties may and often
do make wild charges and unreliable statements about bad manage-
ment, bad methods, and barbarity in the driving and killing of the seals,
there is not a shadow of truth in the stories, nor has any honest man
who ever lived on the seal islands ever said or thought of anything of
the sort.

The word " monopoly " is often used for the purpose of bringing odium
on the seal question when facts are lacking, but the truth is that, despite
all the wicked and idle insinuations thrown out in that way, the leasing
of the seal islands to a responsible company was the best as well as the
most prudent thing the Government could have done under the circum-
stances, as the result showed before the pelagic sealer appeared to inter-
fere with the prosperity of the rookeries which had been fostered and
built up by the wise management of the lessees.

As an answer to the fault-finder who proclaims the destruction of the
seals through the mismanagement of a monopoly, I will quote from the
island records the number of seals actually killed for their skins on
the islands during the twenty years' lease of the Alaska Commercial
Company, and also the number of skins which were rejected or lost
out of all that were killed.

LSenate Ex. Doc. No. 107, Fifty-second Congress, second session, appendix.]

Total number of seals killed for their skins by the lessees from 1870 to 1889, both inclusive.

St. Paul 1,463,907

St. George 318, 120

Total 1,782,027

Total number of skins rejected from same.

St. Paul 2,480

St. George • 628

Total 3,108

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

73

In other words, for every 1,000 seals killed by the lessees, during
their twenty years' lease, there was a loss of If skins.

As these figures were compiled by me, originally, from the books
kept on both of the seal islands, I know they can not be denied or suc-
cessfully contradicted, and I respectfully submit them, and the lesson
they teach, to the most careful consideration of the Department.

Lest some critic may say I have not quoted all the figures, let me add
right here that I am speaking of the large young males which were
actually killed for their skins to make up the lessees, annual quota, and
of those only.

That the natives killed, for food, 99,684 young male seals during the
same twenty years (in addition to pups), and that 27,690 of the skins
were rejected, is true; but the lessees are notblamable for that, for they
had nothing whatever to do with it, and consequently I have counted
only the skins of the seals killed during the regular sealing season and
before the seals became " stagy."

Most of the seals killed for natives' food were taken during the
"stagy" season, hence the rejection of so many of the skins.

This is why I have repeatedly advised in this and former reports
that no killing for any purpose should be permitted during the "stagy"
season.

The management of the seal islands, and the care bestowed on the
seals by the lessees and their agents, are matters of history into which
it is not necessary to enter, because the above figures show far more
eloquently and conclusively than words of mine could that that must
of necessity be a well-managed business which can make such a show-
ing at the end of twenty years.

Only 7 rejected skins out of every 4,000 seals killed is a record for
good and careful management that the lessees may very well be proud
of, and it is a withering reply to all the idle story-tellers who have
attempted from time to time to make the world believe that careless-
ness and brutality united in driving the seals hurriedly to the killing
grounds, leaving hundreds dead on the road, and that bad manage-
ment, corruption, and dishonesty reigned supreme on the seal islands.

In another part of this report I have given a table showing the num-
ber of seal skins actually recorded as sold as a result of pelagic sealing
from 1868 to 1894, both inclusive, which shows the gradual increase of
the catch from year to year as the sealing fleet increased in numbers
and efficiency, until the 4,367 skins taken in 1868 have grown into
121,143 in 1894.

To further illustrate the growth of pelagic sealing and the havoc it
has wrought on the seal herd I will now insert another table comparing
the numbers taken on the Pribilof Islands with those taken on the open
sea from 1890 to 1894, both inclusive.

Tear.

Official,
Pribilof Is-
lands.

Official, pe-
lagic catch. As corrected
as entered in by trade
"United States sales, adding
and Victoria skins shipped
(British Co- via Suez
lumbia) cus- Canal,
tom-hooaes.

1890

20, 995

13, 482

7,549

7,500

16, 031

51, 814
69, 788
73, 394
78, 083
121, 143

a 60. 000

1891

a 75, 000

1892

a85, 000

1893 . . ...

109, 669

1894

142, 000

Total

65, 557

394, 222

471, 669

a Estimated.

74 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Those taken ou the islands, it is hardly necessary to say, were young
males — the surplus males of tlie herd, those taken at sea were taken
indiscriminately, without regard to sex, and were mostly gravid females
or nursing mothers whose young perished too.

The oflicial figures for the Pribilof Islands catch are taken from tlie
Treasury agents' annual reports on file in the Department. The official
figures of the pelagic catch are based on the reports of the collectors of
customs at San Francisco, Astoria, Port Townsend, and other ports
in the United States, and at Victoria, British Columbia, and, for some
of the years, from the London trade sales of pelagic skins.

There is every reason to believe that the real number of pelagic skins
taken during the five years last named aggregate 500,000, and if we
consider the loss sustained by the wounding and sinking of seals that
are never secured, the numbers would run up to three-quarters of a
million destroyed, lost to the United States, in five years.

But let us take only what are given officially as entered in United
States and Victoria (British Columbia) custom houses, 394,222, and
allow that only 50 per cent of them were fen\ales, or, say, 200,000
mothers, one-half of whose pups were "cutout alive" and thrown over-
board at sea, and the other half of whose pups starved to death on the
rookeries, then the account would run thus :

Male seals killed 194,222

Gravid females 100,000

Pups " cut out of same " 100, 000

Mothers in milk 100, 000

Pups starved on rookeries 100, 000

Total 594, 222

But coming back once more to the bare official figures as given by
the collectors of customs, what do they teach us?

They show on their face that the pelagic sealers are reaping the
wealth of the seal herd while the United States are paying all the
expenses; that during the existence of the modus vivendi, when it was
agreed that all parties should cease killing seals until an impartial
inquiry and investigation could be made, the United States lived up to
the agreement, and the pelagic sealer increased his fleet and killed more
seals than he ever killed before.

In 1800, ou the discovery of the decrease on the rookeries, we imme-
diately reduced our catch from the regular annual quota of 100,000 to
20,995, but the pelagic sealer continued on his cruise and captured in
the whole North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea 51,814 skins.

In 1891 our catch amounted to 13,482; the pelagic sealer, in spite of
pledge, promise, law, and two armed fleets, captured nearly 70,000.

In 1892, witli the modus vivendi thoroughly understood by our agents
on the islands, we took 7,549 seals to feed the natives of the seal islands
as per agreement with Great Britain, and the pelagic sealer, in defiance
of all law, took 73,394.

In 1893, still abiding by the terms of the modus vivendi, we took
7,500, and the pelagic sealer took 109,000. (Those figures include seals
killed on the Asiatic side of the North Pacific Ocean.)

It was in 1893 the Tribunal of Arbitration met at Paris, and, after
carefully reviewing the whole situation and the questions at issue, a
decision was rendered and regulations suggested for the settlement of
the Bering Sea question and for the protection of the fur seals.

The full text of the award will be found in the Appendix.

With the Tribunal of Arbitration, and the questions of national and

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 75

international law decided by it, 1 have notliiug to do; but with all that
appertains to the practical side of the seal question and the measures
which should be adopted for the absolute protection of the seals, I have
to do, and I say, without the least hesitation, that the regulatious
adopted for that express purpose by the Tribunal of Arbitration are a
failure.

That the two great nations directly interested in the questions laid
before the tribunal were honestly anxious to have a definite and mutually
satisfactory settlement is not to be doubted; that the questions at issue
were fully and ably presented by counsel on both sides can not be dis-
puted; that our own representatives were in full possession of all the
facts and testimony, and that they had a thorough knowledge and grasp
of the actual situation is shown by the able manner in which they pre-
sented their case and met the arguments of opposing counsel, and yet
notwithstanding all this, regulations have been made professedly for
the protection of the seals but practically for the benefit of the pelagic
sealer.

No better proof of this could be given than the official figures already
quoted for 1894 — a total pelagic catch in the North Pacific Ocean and
Bering Sea, from shore to shore, of 142,000 seals, while only 16,031 were
killed on the Pribilof Islands from August, 1893, to August, 1894.

Let it be remembered, too, that out of a total of 95 vessels employed
in pelagic sealing only 37 entered Bering Sea in 1894, and yet, in about
five weeks, these 37 vessels killed over 7,000 seals more than were taken
by the 95 vessels on the American side of the North Pacific Ocean,
exclusive of Bering Sea, in four months, from January to Ai)ril, inclusive.

That the regulations have already accomplished much good in the
Pacific Ocean outside of Bering Sea is freely admitted; but so long as
they allow the same seals to be killed in August in Bering Sea which
they protected in May, June, and July in the Pacific Ocean they can
not be of permanent benefit to the herd as a whole. The fault is not
the fault of the Tribunal of Arbitration nor of any of the American
gentlemen in any way connected with it, for they very clearly showed
that extermination would be the result of pelagic sealing in Bering Sea
at any time from May to September, as the following extracts from
argument of American counsel will show:

PELAGIC SEALING.

The British commissioners, in their report (section 132), say thecoast catch is made
from February to June, inclusive, five months, while the Bering Sea catch is taken
during July, August, and part of September, or two months and a half.

For each of the 96 vessels engaged in the coast sealing, the average per month is
113, while the monthly average for each of tlie 86 vessels entering Bering Sea is 290.

It is at once apparent that sealing in Bering Sea is over twice as damaging to the
seal herd as sealing in the North Pacific, and that in three years 8,000 more seals were
taken in Bering Sea than along the coast in half the time by a fleet numbering ten
vessels less than the coast fleet.

Certain witnesses examined by the United States give sufficient data to show the
time occupied i« sealing along the coast and that occupied in Bering Sea, also the
catches ma^e in each place, respectively, and in many instances the distance from the
islands at which seals were taken. These have all been collated and arranged in
the form of a table, an examination of which will show that they fully corroborate
the statement that pelagic sealing is much more damaging in Bering Sea than in the
North Pacific. The first four witnesses were examined at Victoria. The page refer-
ences are to the United States case, Appendix, Vol. II.

Such data as these appearing in the above table can not be found in the deposi-
tions appearing in the British counter case. It is unfortunate that this important
matter should have been left out of the British testimony.

This testimony further corroborates the statement of the British commissionerH
that the Bering Sea is not entered until about the Ist of July.

7G

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Of the pelagic sealers examined by tbe United States ( United States case, Appendix,
Vol. II, pp. 3lo-uOT, inclusive) 79 give testimony as to the time tbey entered Bering
Sea. Of this number 68 entered the sea after June 20 and 61 entered between July 1
and July 15.

Of the 316 depositions taken by Great Britain and printed in the British counter
case (Appendix, Vol. II) but 5 give the time of entering Bering Sea. One of these
(Miner, p. 113) gives the time as ''the latter part of June;" 2 (Ilartiveu, p. 112, and
Figuera, p. 125) "early in July;" and the 2 others (Gaudin, p. Ill, and Lutiens, p.
121), "July 20."

From the testimony stated above, it is evident why Great Britain failed to examine
witnesses on this point, since the British commissioners proposed as a restrictive reg-
ulation that Bering Sea should not be entered before the Ist of July, and the British
counsel, in presenting a scheme for regulations to the tribunal, incorporated the same
suggestion therein. It scarcely seems possible, in face of the evidence that sealing
does not usually begin in Bering Sea until July, that Great Britain's advisers can
really believe that it would restrict pelagic sealing to prohibit the sealers from doing
what they have never done, do not do, and never would do.

Of the sealers examined by the United States and Great Britain, 29 suggest a defi-
nite period for a close time. They are arranged below in the form of a table, show-
ing the months in which they think pelagic sealing should be prohibited. The first
7 were examined by Great Britain, and their depositions are included in the British
counter case. (Appendix, Vol. II.) The remainder were examined by the United
States, and their statements appear in the United States case. (Appendix, Vol. II).

These men, being pelagic sealers, know what months sealing is injurious to the
seal herd. If, therefore, the advice of all these witnesses were followed, every
month in the year would be closed to pelagic sealing.

Taiulation of opinions of pelagic sealers, shotving during what months protection is needed

in Bering Sea.

Dishow

O'Leary

E. P. Miner.
(Jeo. Scott...

Lutjens

Couiiers

Moreau

Anderson

AndricJus...

Ball

Henri Brown

Brennan

Claaseu

Culler

Frankly n ...

l^'nncke

Griffin

Hannon

Hannsen ....

Harrison

Hansen

Hoffman

Johnson

Kiernan

Lawson

Lenard

A. McLean. .
D. McLean..
Sundwall ...

1-5

Ph

I I-

I I-

I I

■I I

I I I

July.

July-August.

January- July.

July-September.

July-Decem ber.

July-September.

July-September,

April-August.

January-August 15.

July-September.

April-December.

April-August.

July-Octooer.

April-November 15.

May-September.

July-September 15.

April- August.

May-September 15.

June 15-December.

January-July 15.

July-N'o%-emtjer.

June-Iuly.

July-December.

March-September.

April-October.

March-October.

July-August.

June lii-October.

July-October.

An examination of the foregoing table shows that as to some months all are sub-
stantially agreed that sealing should bo prohibited if the seals are to be preserved.
These months are July and August, the principal sealing months in Bering Sea.

All the 29 include July, except one, who thinks the close season shoitld end on
July 15.

Twenty-four, or four-fifths of the witnesses, include August, and 17 include Sep-
tember in their projiosed close season.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

77

On the facts above stated the United States claim that the following propositions
have been demonstrated beyond refutation :

(1) That female seals 2 years old and over are pregnant at all times when found in
the waters of Bering Sea.

(2) That the nursing females are the only class of seals which feed to any extent
while pelagic sealing is carried on in Bering Sea.

(3) That the nursing females are taken in large numbers over 50 mil<is from the
islands.

(4) That the seal pups are not weaned until after the sealing season has closed in
Bering Sea.

(5) That the killing of a nursing female in Bering Sea destroys at least two lives,
namely, the female and the fetus; and it is an irresistible conclusion that the pup
left upon the islands by the female killed also perishes (see paper directed particu-
larly to that subject),

(6) That in point of numbers alone sealing in Bering Sea is over twice as destruc-
tive to seal life as sealing in the North Pacific.

(7) That the sealing season in Bering Sea comprises only the months of July,
August, and a part of September.

(8) That all the sealers examined by the United States and Great Britain as to the
months when sealing should be prohibited include July in the close season proposed,
and nearly all include August.

(9) That to open Bering Sea during the months of July and August, Avith a pro-
tective zone of 20 miles about the Pribilof Islands, as proposed by Great Britain,
would mean the extermination of the seal herd.

(10) That absolute prohibition of pelagic sealing at all times in the whole Bering
Sea east of the 180 degrees meridian from Greenwich is necessary to preserve the
Alaskan seals. (Notes for United States counsel, p. 10.)

REGULATIONS.
[Extract from Senator Morgan's opinion.]

I will now state, as I gather from all the evidence before us, what is the evil that
these Governments have found to be so threatening to seal life in the Alaskan herd
as to draw them into an agreement that it should be repressed by their concurrent
action.

I will not attempt to examine again the details of the evidence so thoroughly pre-
sented and with such judicial impartiality by Mr. Justice Harlan. I can find no flaw or
omission iu his careful statements of the evidence, or in the conclusions that he drew
from it as to matters of fact. I believe that he stated the exact truth of the situa-
tion, and I fully concur in his treatment of the subject and iu the conclusions that
he has reached.

The present situation, as I understand it, is as follows, as shown by a comparison
of the Pribilof and pelagic catches : i

Year.

Pribilof
Islands.

Total

pelagic

catch.

1890

1891

21, 234

12, 071

7,500

7,500

51, 655

68, 000

73, 394

rt80. 000

1892

1893

Total

48, 305

273, 049

aEatimated.

In 1889 the Pribilof catch was 102,617, which fell off to 21,234 in 1890, and this was
all that the islands would yield of killable seals, leaving a deficit as compared with
the previous year of 81,379 seals upon the islands. If this contrast iu the number of
seals that could be taken on the islands iu 1889 and 1890 was due to the overkilling
of males on the islands and not to pelagic sealing, the falling off of numbers would
have been indicated in each of the six years prior to 1889, No one has asserted such
a fact, and we know that a male seal must be of 6 years old before he is able to take
up and maintain a harem on the rookeries. So that this falling off between 1889 and
1890, if it was due to an excessive killing of males, must have occurred at least as
early as 1882. This is not true, and no one pretouds that it is. The killing of .51,655
seals that the pelagic hunters got, and at least three-fold that number, including

' These figures, cited by Senator Morgan, include seals taken off the Asiatic coast
of the North Pacific Ocean.

78 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

those that were lost, must have reached 300,000 seals that were destroyed. Of this
number three-fourths were females, that are not killable seals on the islands and are
not counted in the Pribilof catch.

The verification of this calculation is ahnost perfect in 1892, when the pelagic
sealers took 73,000 seals, and in 1891, when they took 68,000. The close approxima-
tion of these figures shows that the loss of the seals on the islands was due to pelagic
sealing and not to the want of virility in the bulls on the breeding grounds or to any
other cause.

That the process which has actually depleted the seal herd in four years to the
extent of 569,065 (273,000 of which were females) is an evil that requires to be reme-
died, for the sake of the protection and preservation of seal life, no one can doubt,
as it seems to me. This progressive depletion of this herd of seals can not fail to
destroy them very soon, and, in the meantime, to deprive the United States of all
possible advantage and compensation derived from its eliorts to save the species.
What the United States has done, or omitted to do, to deserve treatment at the hands
of this tribunal that will expose its lawful industries to ruin, its revenues to deple-
tion, and its wards on the Pribilof Islands to the loss of their only valuable industry
will be an inquiry that will seriously challenge the justice of such an award, in the
estimate of the civilized world.

The evil to be provided against by this tribunal is, clearly, pelagic sealing with
firearms.

If there is, or has been, any detriment to the seal herd from the treatment of the
United States, on the islands, the facts on this subject were not unknown to Great
Britain wheu the treaty was made and before ratifications were exchanged. This
subject was not referred to in any of the correspondence between the Governments,
and the treaty is silent as to this supposed mismanagement.

Will the tribunal, in such a case, make an objection to protecting and preserving the
fur seals on the water because Great Britain has not thought it proper or necessary
to call the methods into question, or the United States into account for its manner of
dealing with that subject on land? True, if it can be shown that the depletion of
the herd is due to that cause, and not to pelagic hunting, that is a just and proper
inquiry. If it is due to both causes, this tribunal will deal with the pelagic evil,
that is submitted to its consideration, and leave it to the nations concerned in the
protection of seal life to deal with the evil on land.

If the United States are not so wise in caring for the seals on land as the pelagic
hunters are in caring for them at sea, as seems to be asserted, they are quite as
earnest in the wish to do so. They destroy no female seals, while the pelagic hunter
never spares one. They do not fire upon the breeding rookeries when the seals are
massed, many of them asleep, with double-barreled shotguns and buckshot car-
tridges. They do not kill indiscriminately all seals that come in sight.

The United'States permit no female seals to be killed; wliile 75 per cent of those
killed by the pelagic hunter are females heavy with young and almost helpless.

In that condition, as well as in accordance with a law of their nature, which is an
important fact in connection with their domesticity, the female fur seals require a
great deal of sleep. When asleep, they turn upon their backs, fold their flippers
over their breasts, and curving their hind flippers upward, they form their bodies as
a sort of boat, the spinal column representing the keel. They can only breathe
the upper air; they can not, like a fish, extract air from the water. After inhaling
the air the nostrils close firmly together, and the air, heated by their bodies, expands
and buoys them up. They seldom breathe oftener than once in fifteen minutes, and,
when diving, they need not return to the surface for air oftener than every thirty
minutes. AVe know nothing of their habits at night while in the ocean. On land
they are so boisterous at night with their bowlings that sleep would seem to be
impossible, except from sheer exhaustion. They have not a keen vision, and the
suulight is paiuful to them, so that they leave the land and go to sea on days that
are bright. This causes them to seek a summer home in a place where fogs and rains
prevail. Yet they must have warmth. Nature has amply provided for this necessity
by giving them a double coating of thick, strong hair, and of the thickest and finest
fur that was ever bestowed upon any species of animals. It is as impervious to
water as the down of an eider duck. The pups are born without this fur, and hence
their aversion to swimming until it has grown out; and this detains them on land
for four months, at least, during which period they can subsist only on the milk of
the cow seals. While their vision is not keen, their auditory organs and sense of
smell are exceedingly acute. They are attracted by sounds as few other animals
are. In this faculty they make a close approach to the endowments of mankind.
Sir John Thompson is amused at an account, read by Mr. Justice Harlan, of the
seals being attracted in great numbers near to the shore at Hoy by the ringing of a
church bell. In his credulous sport over this incident Sir John forgot that it is the
personal observation of Mr. Low, one of the greatest naturalists who ever lived,
the friend and companion of Cuvier, and is more than confirmed by M. Peron, whom
France has honored in the most conspicuous way. His abilities as a naturalist,

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 79

acquainted iiitiiuately with seal life, are as far iu advauce of those of Pi'Ofessor
Elliott, from whom Lord Hairaen quotes with much satisfaction, as Napoleou was in
advance of the Sioux chieftain, Sitting Bull, as a military genius.

I will presently quote something further about fur seals trom Mr. Peron.

I know Mr. Elliott, whom the liritish Government has dubbed "professor." I have
respect for his character and sprightliness. He is a painter in water colors of no
mean pretensions, but his use of color does not stop with his canvas. It enters into
all he says, and makes him too vivid an enthusiast for a safe reliance on questions of
measurements, statistics, and cold facts. Mr. Elliott was out on the Pribilof Islands
on the 10th of .Julj-, 1890, taking deld notes, which, to be of any value, should be free
from all romantic conjecture. The following is one of his highly colored extracts from
his report of that day ;

" In company with Mr. Goff and Dr. Lutz I made my plotting of the breeding seals
as they lay on the Reef and Garbotch to-day. Here at the very height of the breed-
ing season, when the masses were most compact and uniform in their distribution in
1872-1874, 1 find the animals as they lay to-day, scattered over twice and thrice as
much ground, as a rule, as the same number would occupy in 1872 — scattered because
the virile bulls are so few in number and the service which they render so delayed or
impotent. In other words, the cows are restless; not being served when iu heat,
they seek other bulls by hauling out in green jagged points of massing (as is shown
by the chart) up from tlieir lauding belts. This unnatural action of the cows, or
rather unwonted movement, has caused the pups aiieady to form small pods every-
where, even where the cows are most abundant, which shadows to me the truth of
the fact that in five days or a week from date the scattering completely of the rook-
ery organizatitm will be thoroughly done. It did not take place until the 20th to
the 25th of July, 1872. In 1872 these cows were promptly met with the service which
they craved on the rookery ground. The scattering of these old bulls to-day over so
large an area is due to extreme feebleness and combined in many cases to a recollec-
tion of no distant day when they had previously hauled thus far out on this very
ground surrounded by bareness, though all is vacant and semi-grass grown under
and around them now." (Dissenting opinions, Harlan and Morgan, pp. 106, 109.)

It is assumed throughout the report of the British commissioners that pelagic seal-
ing is not necessarily destructive, and that, under regulation, the prosecution of it
need not involve the extermination of the herds. This assumption and the evidence
bearing upon it will be elsewhere particularly treated in what we may have to say
upon the subject of regulations. It will there be shown that it is not only destructive
in its tendency, but that, if permitted, it will complete the work of piratical exter-
mination in a very short period of time. But so far as it is asserted that a restricted
and regulated pelagic sealing is consistent with the moral laws of nature and should
be allowed, the argument has a bearing upon the claim of the United States of a
property interest, and should be biieiiy considered here. Let it be clearly under-
stood, then, just what pelagic sealing is, however restricted or regulated. And we
shall now describe it by those features of it which are not disputed or disputable.

We pass by the shocking cruelty and inhumanity, with its sickening details of
bleating and crying olfspring falling upon the decks from the bellies of mothers
as they are ripped open, and of white milk flowing in streams mingled with blood.
These enormities which, if attempted within the territory of a civilized State, would
speedily be made the subjects of criminal punishment, are not relevant, or are less
relevant, in the discussion of the mere question of property.

It is not contended that in pelagic sealing (1) there can be any selective killing,
or (2) that a great excess of females over males is not slain, or (3) that a great num-
ber of victims perish from wounds without being recovered, or (4) that in most cases
the females killed are not either heavy with young or nursing mothers, or (5) that
each and every of these incidents can not be avoided by the selective killing which
is practiced on the breeding islands. We do not stop to discuss the idle questions
whether this form of slaughter will actually exterminate the herds or how long it
may take to complete the destruction. It is enough for the present purpose to say
that it is simple destruction. It is destructive because it does not make or aim to
make its draft upon the increase, which consists of the superfluous males, but, by
taking females, strikes directly at tlie stock, and strikes at the stock in the most
damaging way, by destroying unborn and newly born pups, together with their
mothers. Whoever undertakes to set up a moral right to prosecute this mode of
slaughter on the ground that it will not necessarily result in complete destruction
must maintain that while it may be against the law of nature to work complete
destruction, it is yet lawful to destroy. But what the law of nature forbids is any
destruction at all unless it is necessary. To destroy a little and to destroy much
are the same crimes.

If there were even something less than a right, or rather some low degree of right —
for nothing other than rights can be taken notice of here — some mere convenience,
it might be worthy of consideration ; but there is none. It can not even be said that
pelagic sealing may furnish to the world a sealskin at a lower price. Nothing can

80 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

he plainer than that it is the most expensive mode of capturing seals. It require?
the expenditure of a vast sum in vessels, boats, appliances, and human labor, which
is all unnecessary, because the entire increase can be reaped without them. This
unnecessary expense is a charge upon the consumer, and must be reimbursed in the
price he pays. In no way can pelagic sealing result in a cheapeuin,s; of the product,
except upon the assumption that the stock of seals is inexhaustible and that the
amount of the pelagic catch is an addition to the total catch, which might be made
on the land if capture were restricted to the land; and this assumption is admitted
on all hands, and even by the commissioners of Great Britain, to be untrue.

If there were any evil, or inconvenience even, to bo apprehended from a confine-
ment of the capture of the seals to the breeding places, it might serve to arrest atten-
tion; but there is none. Much is said, indeed, in the report of the commissioners of
Great Britain concerning a supposed monopoly which would thus be secured, as is
pretended, to the lessees of the breeding islands, which would enable them to exact
an excessive price for skins; but this notion is wholly erroneous. (Argument of the
United States counsel, p. 98.)

The whole herd owes its existence not merely to the care and protection but to
the forbearance of the United States Government within its exclusive jurisdiction.
While the seals are upon the United States territory during the season of reproduc-
tion and nurture that Government might easily destroy the herd by killing them
all, at a considerable immediate profit. From such a slaughter it is bound to refrain,
if the only object is to preserve the animals long enough to enable them to be exter-
minated by foreigners at sea. If that is to be the result, it would be for the interest
of the Government, and plainly within its right and powers, to avail itself at once
of such present value as its property possesses, if the future product of it can not
be preserved. Can there be more conclusive proof than this of such lawful posses-
sion and control as constitutes property, and alone produces and continues the exist-
ence of the subject of it?

The justice and propriety of these propositions, their necessity to the general
interests of mankind, and the foundation upon which they rest in the original prin-
ciples from which rights of ownership are derived, have been clearly and forcibly
pointed out by Mr. Carter. (Argument of the United States counsel, p. 134.)

Thus it will be seen that the danger menacing the seals in Bering
Sea by hunting in July, August, and September was well understood
by American counsel at Paris, and pointed out by them to the arbi-
trators with rare ability and conciseness.

As I write, the Congressional Eecord of December 12 is on my desk
with a letter from Mr. Elliott in which he speaks very disparagingly of
our agents and counsel at Paris, and of their lack of knowledge of the
subject-matter before the Tribunal of Arbitration, thus:

At the time these articles of the Paris award were published immense stress was
laid upon the fact that firearms were prohibited in Bering Sea by our agents, who
declare that this prohibition would discourage and break up the business of the
pelagic sealer. They were strangely ignorant of the truth in the matter, at least
the lawyers were, and they had nobody on our side with them at Paris who really
knew anything albout the life and habits of the seals, who could teach them better.

That they were neither infallible nor omnipotent is freely admitted;
that they may have made some mistakes may be true; but that they
left behind them in America an equal number of men knowing one-
half as much as what they knew about seals has not been, nor can it
be, shown.

If mistakes have been made at all they were made when we first
agreed to arbitrate the questions that have since been decided against
us by the Tribunal of Arbitration ; and it is now too late to enter into
idle discussions, criminations, and recriminations as to who was right
and who Avas wrong.

Having once put our case into the hands of the tribunal, we must abide
by its decision until we can with honor and dignity, worthy our country,
bring about other arrangements.

That the regulations, made in good faith, do not accomplish all that
was expected of tliem is so patent to everyone that it needs no discus-
sion here, and the proper steps ought to be taken as soon as possible
to remedy their defects.

Of one thing we may rest assured, and that is that August and Sep-

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 81

tember — but August by all means — should have beeu included in the
''close time," if the seals are to be saved from extinction.

It is in August the harems, or families, are broken up on the rookeries,
and the mother seals go away from the islands to distances of from 80
to 200 miles after food and rest; and it is in August they sleep soundest
and longest, after gorging themselves with the first full meal they have
had time to secure since June. In August and September the weather
is usually favorable in Bering Sea, and the pelagic hunter, having a
license to work and nothing to fear, goes in among the sleeping mother
seals and quietly spears them until his vessel is loaded with skins, and
want of room for more admonishes him to stop.

That the seals have steadily decreased since 1884; that much of the
decrease is due to the slaughter of the females by pelagic hunters;
that the rookeries are in about the same depleted condition that they
were in 1834, after a long period of female slaughter by the Eussians;
that the remedy applied then must be applied now if we would save
the fur seals from total extinction, and build up and replenish the rook-
eries, are self-evident propositions and cannot be denied.

There is no time to debate mere questions of detail, and we are all
agreed, I think, that on the absolute safety and continued protection of
the female seal depends the perpetuation of the species. So well has
this been understood and appreciated since 1835 that no female seal
has been, knowingly, killed on the seal islands in Bering Sea for the
past sixty years.

It makes but little difference now as to whose theory was the correct
one when guessing was in order; nor does it matter much as to whether
spears or shotguns are used in killing mother seals, or whether they
are killed in the North Pacific Ocean or in Bering Sea; the only ques-
tion worth considering in this matter of fur seals just now is "How can
we prevent the killing of females'?"

Fortunately the declarations made by the Tribunal of Arbitration
suggest the most practicable way of solving the problem; and, with
the consent of Great Britain, we can solve it immediately.

The Tribunal of Arbitration has declared that:

In view of the critical condition to yvhich it appears certain that the race of far
seals is now reduced in conseqiience of circumetauces not fully known, the arbitra-
tors think fit to recommend both Governments to come to an understanding in order
to prohibit any killing of fur seals, either on land or at sea, for a period of two or
three years, or at least one year, subject to such exceptions as the two Govern-
ments might think proper to admit of.

Such a measure might be recurred to at occasional intervals if found beneficial.

In the spirit of that declaration, and being only too well aware of the
present "critical condition of the race of fur seals," and fully appreciat-
ing the importance of immediate action, if they are to be saved from
extinction, I respectfully ofl'er the following suggestions:

(1) That the United States Government shall officially notify Great
Britain of the failure of the "regulations" to adequately protect the
seals from the destructive work of the pelagic sealer.

(2) That Great Britain shall be requested to join with the United
States in establishing a modus vivendi until, jointly, tbey arrange to
have the cooperation of both Russia and Japan in making regulations
for the proper protection of the seal herds coming to the islands or
territory of each.

(3) That during the time set apart for the modus vivendi no sealing
vessels shall be cleared for sealing purposes, nor shall seals be taken
anywhere in the North Pacific Ocean or in Bering Sea, excepting what
may be taken by the Indians on tlie American and British Columbian

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2- 6

82 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

coasts for food, and by the natives of the Pribilof Islands for necessary
food, fuel, and clothing', as was done during the last modus vivendi.

(4) That Congress shall be asked for an appropriation to defray the
expenses of a commission of at least three competent and disinterested
men, whose duty it shall be to visit all the seal islands and breeding
rookeries in the Bering and Okhotsk seas, and any others whose seals
range in either of those seas or in the North Pacific Ocean; to make a
thorough investigation of fur-seal life, and to collect testimony bearing
on the habits of the animal on land and at sea, and all dota that it is
possible to secure regarding the effect of driving and killing on land,
and of pelagic sealing, and such other information as may be deemed
necessary to a thorough nnderstanding of the seal problem.

(5) That the said commission shall be appointed by the President of
the United States, and that Great Britain, Russia, and Japan be invited
to appoint similar bodies for similar purposes, who, at the completion
of their joint investigations, shall jointly report the result thereof and
suggest regulations for the proper and adequate protection, of the fur
seals on land and water.

In making these suggestions I have kept in view the fact that with-
out concurrent action, which shall be mutually satisfactory to the
nations directly interested, there can be no adequate protection given
to the seals; for so long as pelagic sealers can operate freely in Japa-
nese or Russian waters during a "close time" on the American side, and
vice versa, the herds will eventually be exterminated.

The question has been asked, " SupposeGreat Britain will not consent
to a modus vivendi or a change in the regulations before the expiration
of the five years' terra established by the Tribunal of Arbitration; what
then?"

It must be borne in mind that the regulations do not extend to the
seal islands, nor have they anything whatever to do with our work
thereon.

Let Congress at the present session repeal all laws which limit the
numbers or designate the sex to be killed on the islands, a.nd enact
laws empowering the Secretary of the Treasury to kill without limit
whenever it may appear that adequate protection to the herds has been
sought for in vain. That this last resort is our right and our duty was
plainly shown by the United States counsel at Paris, who said:

The whole herd owes its existence not merely to the care and projection, but to
the forbearance of the United States Government within its exclusive jurisdiction.
While the seals are upon the United States territory during the season of reproduction
and nurture, that Government might easily destroy th«5 herd by killing them all at a
considerable immediate profit. From such a slaughter it is not bound to refrain ii
the only object is to preserve the animals long enough to enable them to be extermi-
nated by foreigners at sea. If that is to be the result, it would be for the interest ol
the Government, and plainly within its riglit and powers, to avail itself at once
of such present value as its property possesses if the future product of it can not be
preserved. (Argument of the United States counsel, p. 134.)

And yet, while admitting onr right, and asking for the enactment ol
a law cojiferring the authority to Kill every seal on the Pribilof Islands,
should the necessity arise to demand it, I abhor the thought of the pos-
sibility of such a dreadful contingency.

While it is well to be fully prepared, let us use all honorable means to
avert it if possible.

Respectfully submitted.

Joseph Murray, i^pecial Agent

Hon. John G. Carlisle,

Secretary of the Treasury.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 83

APPENDIX.

PELAGIC SEALING.

Deposition of Milton Barnes, special employee of United States Treasury

on St. Paul Island,

Territory of Alaska,

St. Paul Island, ss :

I, Milton Barnes, being duly sworn according to law, depose and say
as follows: I am a citizen of the United States, and when ar home
reside near Columbus, Ohio. Have been temporarily stationed during
the last year on the island of St. Paul, one of the fur-seal or Pribilof
group in Bering Sea, as a special employee of the United States
Treasury Department on said island.

One day during the latter part of August or fore part of September
last (exact date forgotten), Col. Joseph Murray, one of the Treasury
agents, and myself, in company with the British commissioners. Sir
George Baden Powell and Dr. Dawson, by boat visited one of the seal
rookeries of that island known as Tolstoi or English Bay. On arriv-
ing there our attention was at once attracted by the excessive num-
ber of dead pups, whose carcasses lay scattered profusely over the
breeding ground or sand beach bordering the rookery proper and
extending into the border of the rookery itself. The strange sight
occasioned much surmise at the time as to the probable cause of it.
Some of the carcasses were in an advanced stage of decay, while others
were of recent death, and their general appearance was that of having
died of starvation. There were a few that still showed signs of lite,
bleating weakly and piteously, and gave every evidence of being in a
starved condition, with no mother seals near or showing them any
attention.

Dr. Dawson while on the ground took some views of the rookery with
his kodak, but whether the views he took included the dead puj)s 1
could not say. Some days after this — can not state exact date — I drove
with Mr. Fowler, an employee of the lessees, to what is known as Half-
way Point, or Polavina rookery. Here the scene was repeated, but on
a more extensive scale in point of numbers. Tlie little carcasses were
strewn so thickly over the sand as to make it dif&cult to walk over the
ground without stepping on them. This condition of the rookeries in
this regard was for some time a topic of conversation in the village by
all parties, including the more intelligent ones among the natives, some
of whom were with Mr. J. Stanley Brown in his work of surveying the
island, and brought in reports from time to time of similar conditions
at substantially all the rookeries around the island. It could not, of
course, be well estimated as to the number thus found dead, but the
most intelligent of the natives — chief of the village — told me that in his
judgment there were not less than 20,000 dead pups on the various
rookeries of the island, and others still dying. Dr. Akerly, the lessees'
physician at the time, made an autopsy of some of the carcasses, and
reported that he could find no traces of any diseased condition what-
ever, but there was an entire absence of food or any signs of nourish-
ment in the stomach. Before Dr. Dawson left I called his attention to
what Dr. Akerly had done, but whether he saw him on the subject I
can not tell.

x\nd further deponent saith not, Milton Barnes.

84 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

I)ej)Oisition of C. L. Hooper, vaptam, United States Revenue Marine.

DiSTEiCT OF Columbia,

City of Washington, ss :

PersoDally appeared before me, C. L. Hooper, who deposes and says:

From the investigations concerning seal life at sea, personally con-
ducted by me, in the l!Jorth Pacific during the months of March, April,
May, and June; in Bering Sea during the month of August and part of
September; in the vicinity of the Aleutian chain during the month of
October and part of November, as well as from the experience obtained
in six other cruises in Alaskan waters and in Bering Sea, I draw the
following conclusions:

There were fewer seals to be seen in the water in the vicinity of the
Pribilof Islands during the summer of 1892 than in 1891.

At least 75 per cent, and probably 80 or 90 per cent, of the seals in
Bering Sea, outside of a narrow zone around the seal islands, are females,
75 per cent of which are nursing mothers and the remaining 25 per
cent virgin cows too immature for bearing.

If barren cows exist at all they are rare. 1 have never known or
heard of but one instance.

In Bering Sea mothers go long distances — as far as 200 miles from the
islands — to feed, codfish furnishing the bulk of their food.

They sleep much in the water, are not timid, and are readily taken;
and their death means the destruction of three lives — the mother, the
fetus, and the pup — on the breeding grounds. The past season is the
first in several years that such deaths among the pups have not occurred
from this source.

At least 70 per cent, and probably 80 or 90 per cent, of any catch in
Bering Sea will be females, either actually bearing or capable of bear-
ing at no distant day. This is borne out by the character of the skins
of the Henrietta, seized last summer for the violation of the modus
Vivendi. The captain informed me that nearly all the skins taken were
those of male seals. Under my direction an examination was made of
these skins by N. Hodgson, a man of experience, in whom I have entire
confidence. The catch, as shown by the log and sealing book of this
vessel, was made in Bering Sea and consists of 420 skins, 301 of which
were found to be females, 33 males, and 26 those of seals too young to
determine the sex.

For every 100 seals, the death of which results from pelagic hunting,
not more than 65 or 75 skins are secured.

The female seals are widely distributed over the sea, and hence the
establishment of zonal areas would be rendered impossible by climatic
conditions.

There is a wide belt of 200 or 300 miles between the Commander and
Pribilof groups of islands which are devoid of seals, and hence no com-
mingling of the herds occur.

There is no foundation for the statement that during the summer
months there are found in Bering Sea bodies of seals which are inde-
pendent of, unattached to, or do not visit the Pribilof Islands.

The annual migration is caused by climatic conditions and feed
supply.

The old bulls are the first to leave the islands, and most of them,
together with many half bulls and large bachelors, remain in the waters
of Bering Sea and off the coast of Alaska during the entire winter,
individuals rarely being found south of the fifty-fifth parallel.

The major part of the herd, consisting of females and their pups and

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 85

young males, begiu to migrate about the end of October, and by Janu
ary 1 all of thein have begun tlieir migration. These dates are some-
what earlier or later, according to the sea-son.

Those that leave earliest go farthest south, arriving on the coast of
California, and those leaving later reach the coast farther up. Their
arrival is coincident with the coming of the smelt, herring, and eulachon,
upon which they feed.

On reaching the coast their migration route is continually toward
the islands, but following the general trend of the coast, the inner limit
being about 25 miles offshore and the outer limit from 75 to 100.

As this migration progresses there is a bunching up of the herd, but
the seals travel independently and not m bands or schools.

The migration route is from the Pribilof Islands through the passes
across to the coast, up the coast and across the northern sweep of the
North Pacific to the Aleutian Chain, and through the passes again to
the islands.

There is no foundation in the statement that the Pribilof fur seals
which migrate have a winter home off any coast. They appear at about
the same time off a long line of coast, reaching from California to
Washington. When they are so found they are known always to be
moving northward up the coast.

The herd, by reason of hunting at sea, has steadily diminished, and
such hunting will ultimately destroy the herd unless prohibited in the
North Pacific and Bering Sea, for no matter how small the annual catch
may be there is a possibility that the hunt will always be encouraged
by the higher prices resulting from the decreasd catch, as in the case
of the sea otter.

C. L. Hooper.

Deposition of H. S. Mclntyre, superintendent of the Pribilof Islands.

District op Columbia,

City of Washington, ss :

H. H. Mclntyre, of West Randolph, Vt., being duly sworn, deposes
and says:

I have stated in former depositions my connection with the sealeries
of Alaska and opportunities for knowledge concerning them.

When the breeding male seals first arrive upon the islands in the
spring they are much more timid and easily disturbed than at a later
period, and might perhaps be then driven from their chosen places upon
the rookeries, but at a later date, when their relation to their neighbors
is fairly established and the cows begin to arrive, no amount of force
will dislodge them, and they will die in defense of their harems rather
than desert them.

In June, 1872, 1 carried a photographer's camera near the Reef rookery
on St. Paul Island and while focusing the instrument, with my head
under the black cloth, and the attention of my attendant was diverted,
two old bulls made a savage assault upon me, which I avoided by dodg-
ing and running. The camera was left where I had placed it and could
not be recovered until seal clubs had been sent for and one of the bulls
killed and the other knocked down and stunned. The throwing of
stones and noisy demonstrations had no effect whatever upon them.
This experience only emphasized what I have observed on many occa-
sions upon the islands. The female seals are more timid, and upon the
near approach of man show signs of fear and generally move toward the

86 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

wator, but their flight is resisted by the bulls, aud before impregnatiou
they rarely succeed in escapiug. After this occurs the discipline of the
harem is relaxed and the females go and come at will.

I neither saw nor heard, in my twenty years' experience as sui)erin-
tendent of the sealeries, of any destruction of pups by reason of stam-
pedes of seals. But I have occasionally witnessed the death of pups
from being trampled upon by the old bulls during their battles for
supremacy. This is, however, of rare occurrence. Even if stampedes
occurred, the light bodies of the females, averaging onlj^ 80 or 90 pounds,
would pass over a lot of pups without seriously injuring them.

Later in the season, after the old bulls have been superseded on the
rookeries by the jouuger ones, the pups are already able to avoid being-
run over, and as a matter of lact the death of pups upon the rookeries
from any cause whatever prior to the advent of pelagic sealers in Bering
Sea was so rare as to occasion no comment.

It was not customary to drive from any points near enough to the
breeding rookeries to cause stampedes, and even if this had been done
I do not think any injury to the rookeries would have been occasioned
by it. It might cause some of the cows to move away, but they would
soon return again.

It is very dififlcult to determine the average number of females prop-
erly assignable to a single male, and difficult even to ascertain how
many there are in any given family, because the boundaries of the groups
are never well defined, and such as would be said by one observer to
belong to a certain bull would be declared by another to be in a different
harem. The surface of the ground mainly occupied as breeding rook-
eries is very irregular. Harems sometimes run together. Ledges,
bowlders, and lava rocks hinder the uniform mapping of the family
groups, and it is not difficult, therefore, to select certain spots and count
a number of female seals which appear to be unattached to any male.
On the other hand, there are often found full grown males upon the rook-
eries at all seasons with no families, and a still larger number with from
one to five females each. Such variations have always occurred.

With our present knowledge of seal life, it is impossible to judge with
any degree of accuracy how many females may safely be referred to a
single male. But, by analogy, it is a very much larger number than
has frequently been named as a fair average.

Horse breeders regard a healthy stallion as capable of serving from
40 to 50 mares in a single season; cattle breeders apportion at least 40
cows to a bull, and sheep raisers regard from 30 to 40 ewes as not too
many for a single ram, and in the latter case, at least, the season of
service is no longer than that permitted to the male seal. I think it
would be safe to place an average of 40 or 50 seals to a harem as not
excessive.

It is not unusual during the early years of the Alaska Commercial
Company's lease to find exceptionally large harems containing from 50
to 100 females each, but we saw no reason to doubt that they were fully
served by the male.

The erroneous idea seems to have gained lodgment that during the
first decade of the lease a reserve of breeding seals was kept on certain
rookeries, and that toward the end of this decade it became necessary
to draw on these rookeries because killing 100,000 seals per annum had
been too much of a drain upon the herd. This has no foundation in
fact. In the early years of the lease the transportation facilities upon
the islands, both by land and water, were very limited, and, as the
Government agent in charge (Captain Bryant) did not object, we con-

ALASKA INDUBTRIE8. 87

suited our couveiiieuce and drove more frequently irom near-by rook-
eries, but at all times worked the more distant rookeries more or less
frequently, as appears by the seal island records. His successors in
office theorized that all tbe rookeries ought to be worked in regular
rotation, and so directed. We therefore increased our number of boats
and mule teams in order to transport the skins from distant points, and
complied with his orders. But we did not do this because of any
scarcity of killable seals; no scarcity occurred until pelagic sealing
had already made serious inroads. There was no such thing ever
thought of upon the islands as reserves of seals," nor was any differ-
ent practice pursued in respect to driving from year to year, except
that all rookeries were worked more systematically after the first few
years of the lease.

In the early years of the first lease a few of the bundles of seal skins
shi])ped from the Pribilof Islands may have weighed as much as 60
pounds, but I would not undertake to say that I have seen any weighing
as much. If there were any, the explanation is as follows: The skins
in such bundles were those of small wigs, and such skins were bundled
together so that the flesh sides should be covered completely and no
overlapping edges left.

Excrement is voided by seals upon the rookeries as often, I think, as
by other carnivorous animals. Those who assert the contrary appar-
ently expect such discharges as they were accustomed to see in the
track of the herbivora. The excrement of the seals is of very soft, often
semifluid consistency, and in the porous soil or on the smooth rocks is
easily brushed about by the trailing flippers of the seals and lost sight
of. Their food is chiefly fish, which is highly organized and contains
very little tissue that is not absorbed and assimilated. The excrement,
therefore, is limited in quantity, even when the animal is full fed, and
from its nature and surroundings easily overlooked.

H. H. McIntyee.

HABITS, AND MANAaEMENT OF SEALS ON ROOKERIES, AND PELAGIC

SEALING.

Deposition of L. A. N'oyes, resident physician on the Fribilof Islands from

1880 to 1892.

St. George Island, Pribilof Group,

Alaska, ss:

L. A. Noyes, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a native
American, and my home is in Eandolph, Vt.; I am 52 years of age, and
a physician by profession.

In 1880 I entered the service of the lessees of the Pribilof Islands as
resident physician at the seal islands, and I have resided here continu-
ously ever since, excei)tiug an occasional visit to my home for a few
months in winter, once or twice since 1880.

From June, 1880, to August, 1883, I was on St. George Island, and
from 1883 to 1884 I was on St. Paul Island. I then returned to St.
George, where I have resided ever since, except the vacations aforesaid.

I have given much time to the study of the Alaskan fur seal and its
peculiar habits, and I have watched with care and solicitude the
increase and the decline in numbers of the animal on the hauling
grounds and rookeiies, ;ind also the methods followed by the lessees in
taking the skins — the driving and killing of the young males of from

88 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

2 to 5 years old, and the salting, curing, bundling, and shipping tlie
skins. 1 have likewise carefully observed and noted the coming of the
seals in the spring, the hauling out at different times of the various
ages and sexes, their disposition on the hauling grounds and rookeries.
the formation of the "harem" or family, the breaking up of the harems,
the scattering of the cows, and the general intermingling of the sexes
in September, and finally the departure of the herd from the islands in
November or later.

I have read most of all that has been written within the past quarter
century on the fur-seal question, and I have listened to and taken part
in many of the controversies indulged in by my associates and friends
who have spent many years in the fur-seal industry, and whose practi-
cal experience, with all its details, gives weight and value to their asser-
tions. It was I who, at the request of the United States Treasury
agent in charge of the islands, measured all the rookeries aud hauling
grounds on St. George Island in 1887,' and I have kept the record of
the climatic changes on St. George since the United States Government
discontinued the meterological station at the Pribilof Islands.

In addition to my services as physician I have occasionally taught
the school on St. George, aud I have kept the books and accounts for
many years for the lessees on the same island. I am thoroughly con-
versant with the orders issued by the general and local agents of the
lessees to the native chiefs in regard to everything appertaining to the
business of taking the annual catch aud the care of the seals. I have
been intimately acquainted with the Treasury agents who have had
charge of the islands since 1880, aud I acted as assistant agent myself
during the temporary absence of the assistant special agent. I am
quite familiar with the general and special orders and instructions
issued from the Treasury Department from time to time to the special
agents for the government of the natives and the care of the rookeries
and seal herd; and I know those laws, rules, and regulations have
been faithfully adhered to and fully enforced, published reports of
transient visitors to the contrary notwithstanding.

The seal islands of St. Paul and St. George, geographically known
as the Pribilof Islands, are situated in Bering Sea at about 170° west
from Greenwich and 56° north latitude, and they are nearly 200 miles
from the nearest land.

The climatic conditions in their immediate vicinity are so peculiar
and their formation and situation are so unique that it is not hard to
believe they were selected for a home and resting place by the Alaskan
fur seal because of their adaptability to that purpose and to that only.
The thermometer rarely goes higher than 60"^ or lower than zero, the
average for a number of years being 35°.

In winter the islands are sometimes surrounded by broken ice, which
comes from the north, and it will come and go with the tide and currents,
generally from January to April, but occasionally remaining later, and
again not appearing at all.

In June, July, and part of August the islands are enveloped for days
at a time in dense fog, and a clear sunny day is of rare occurrence. The
atmosphere is damp and cool, aud the rain falls in a sort of fine mist
which drenches one through before it is felt.

The islands are of volcanic origin, and the shores are rough, uneven
lava rock, and broken rocks and bowlders of like formation. On this

• The measurements were made very imperfectly, and I never claimed anything but
an approximate measurement. It was my opinion that the numbers were exagger-
ated, and I SiO stated at the time. — L. A. N.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 89

rugged shore the Alaskan far seals make their summer home ; here they
are boru and reared for the tirst six months of their existence; here
they come every spring as regular as time, and here they reproduce their
species. The career of the fur-seal herd on these shores is not unlike
that of any domesticated animal — it is simply a .stock-breeding question.

Areas upon which it is agreeable for the females to breed are carefully
reserved and set aside for that purpose.

Each year a sufficient number of breeding bulls are reserved for serv-
ice on the rookeries. The utmost car© is taken that the future of the
herd is not jeopardized by the injury or death of a female.

So accustomed have the seals become to the presence of the natives
that the timidity and shyness manifested in the ocean is not shown on
the islands. In their infancy the pups will approach a native without
fear, and later on they are readily handled and the sexes separated,
should it be necessary to make a killing of pups for food. In the han-
dling, management, and enlargementof the seal herd there is as much
amenability to domestication as there is in a band of range cattle.

Tlie male breeding seals, or bulls, begin to haul out on the breeding
rookeries early in May, and they come in more and more rapidly as the
month advances, and, selecting their respective stations, lie down and
sleep almost continuously until within a few days of the coming of the
females, or cows, when they assume a sitting posture, and set up a bel-
lowing noise peculiar to themselves, which I suppose to be a "call"
to the approaching herd of cows. It is at this time the bull appears at
his best and in his most aggressive mood, and none but the physically
strong and successful are allowed to remain within striking distance of
the veterans.

The cows begin to haul out in June, and practically they are all on
the breeding rookeries by July 15. Immediately on arriving they are
taken possession of by the bulls, the strongest and most aggressive
securing the greatest number and guarding with jealous care and
increasing vigilance.

As a rule the pups are born soon after the cows reach the shore,
though it occasionally happens that a cow will be two or three days on
the rookery before bringing forth her young.

I think the pups are all born by July 22, and by the middle of August
the cows have been fertilized for the next year, after which the harems
are abandoned and the bulls begin to leave the islands, and the females
and bachelors (or young males) intermingle indiscriminately on the
rookeries. From the time the bulls haul out in May till they leave in
September they neither eat nor drink, and their lean and lanky appear-
ance in September is in striking contrast with their rotund form and
sleek and glossy coats in May.

When the pup is born it is utterly helpless and dependent. It is not
amphibious, and would drown if put into water. I have often watched
the pups near the water's edge when in stormy weather the surf carried
them off, and in every instance they drowned as soon as they went into
deep water. The pup is entirely dependent on its dam for sustenance,
and when it is a few days old she goes into the sea to feed, returning at
intervals of a few hours at first, and gradually lengthening the time as
the pups grow older and stronger, until she will be sometimes away for
a whole week. During these journeys, in my opinion, she goes a dis-
tance of from 40 to 200 miles from the islands to feed, and it is at this
time she falls a prey to the ])elagic hunter.

Eeturned to the rookery, the cow goes straight to the spot where she
left her pup, and it seems she instantly recognizes it by smelling; and

90 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

it is equally ceitaiu that the pup cau not recognize its dam. 1 have
often seen pups attempt to suck cows promiscuously, yet no cow will
suckle any pup but her own. When five or six weeks old the pups begin
to run around and form bunches or "pods;" at seven to eight weeks
old they try the water at the edge, where, after paddling in the shallows,
they gradually learn to swim. After becoming expert swimmers they
continue to show a preference for land, where they generally remain if
not driven into the water by heavy rain or warm sunshine. They make
no effort to secure sustenance of any sort beyond that furnished by
their dams.

I have examined many pups at the food killings in November, and I
never found anything but milk in their stomachs.

The young males or bachelors, whose skins are taken by the lessees,
begin to haul out in May, and they continue to haul out until late in
July, the older ones coming first and the younger ones later; and they
herd by themselves during May, June, and July, because were they
to approach the breeding grounds the bulls would drive them off or
destroy them.

The bachelors of from 2 to 5 years old are the only seals driven or
killed on the seal islands by anyone or for any purpose, and the sensa-
tional stories told of how they are tortured on the drive have no founda-
tion in fact. When necessary to make a drive for skins from any given
rookery, the local agent of the lessees informs the Treasury agent, and
obtains his permission to make the drive. No seals are driven without
the consent of the Treasury agent in charge of the island. All being
ready, the native chief takes a squad of men to the hauling ground,
where the seals are quietly surrounded without disturbing the breeding
rookery, and they are then driven slowly along to the killing ground.

Since the improved methods of 1879 there are no drives of greater
length than 2J miles, and the majority of them do not exceed 1 mile.
So carefully and so slowly are the drives made, the men driving are
relieved every hour, because of the slow motion they get chilled on the
road. Arrived at the killing grounds, the seals are driven out from the
main body in "pods" of 20 or 30 at a time, and experienced men club
and kill the desirable ones, and allow all that remain to return at their
leisure to the adjacent waters. The most experienced men do the skin-
ning, and after them come the women and children, who carry off the
carcasses for food and the fat or blubber for winter fuel.

In accordance with instructions from the Department, the Treasury
agent is always present at the killings, and he has full power and
authority to interfere in all cases where there is cruelty practiced or
attempted.

All seals killed by the lessees for skins are killed between June 1 and
July 30, and generally the season closes on the 20th of July.

After the regular season closes, in Jul}^ the natives kill, weekly, for
food, from 100 to 200 male seals whose skins are large enough to be
accepted as part of the next year's quota; and it is during these food
drives in August, September, and October that an occasional female is
accidentally killed. Being mixed with the bachelors at this time, some
females are driven and accidentally killed. The killing of a female is
the greatest crime known on the seal islands and is never done inten-
tionally. Of this I am most positive, for I know that every possible
precaution has been taken to guard against it, and I believe there have
not been 100 females killed on St. George Island since 1880, if I may
except some killed by poachers who were driven off before they secured
the skins of the seals they had killed.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 91

Never since the islands liave been Ameiicau property has there been
indiscriminate killing done upon them, nor has there been a desire on
the part of anyone connected with them to injure or damage or waste
seal life; on the contrary, everything has been done by the lessees, past
and present, and by the United States, to foster and protect it, and to
improve the methods of driving the seals, so that the herds might grow
and thrive and increase, and perpetuate themselves indefinitely. Laws,
rules, and regulations were made from time to time, prompted by expe-
rience, with a view to add to the value of the property and to abolish
everything that was not beneficial and in strict accord with the most
humane principles. To this end all long drives were prohibited and
arrangements made by which the killing grounds have been brought
as near the hauling grounds as is practicable without being injurious
to the breeding rookeries.

Orders were issued by which the driving is regulated in such manner
that no hauling grounds are molested or disturbed more than another,
and, being taken in rotation, the seals are allowed several days rest
between drives. The rules for driving are so strict, so rigidly enforced,
and so faithfully carried out that I hardly know how they could be
improved upon.

In my opinion the cows are the only seals that go into the sea to feed
from the time they haul out in May till they leave the islands in Novem-
ber or December, and my opinion is based on the fact that the seals
killed in May have plenty of food in their stomachs, mostly codfish,
while those killed in July have no signs of anything like food in their
stomachs.

Again, the males killed for food as the season advances are found to
be poorer and poorer, and in all cases after July their stomachs are
empty. I am convinced, therefore, that none but mother seals go into
the sea to feed during the summer months, and this accounts for the
sudden decrease in the herd after the sealing schooners became so
numerous in Bering Sea about 1884. The decrease in the number of
seals coming to the islands in the last three or four years became so
manifest to everyone acquainted with the rookeries in earlier days that
various theories have been advanced in an attempt to account for the
cause of this sudden change, and the following are some of them : First,
a dearth of bulls upon the breeding rookeries; second, impotency of
bulls, caused by overdriving while they were young bachelors, and
third, an epidemic among the seals.

The " dearth- of-bulls theory" has been thoroughly and impartially
investigated without discovering a cow of 3 years old or over on the
rookeries without a pup by her side at the proper time, and I am con-
vinced that the virgin females coming onto the rookeries for the first
time are the only ones to be found there without pups.

The investigation established the additional fact that hundreds of
vigorous bulls were lying idle on the rookeries without cows and many
others had to content themselves with only one or two.

The theory of " impotency of the bulls through overdriving" while
young was also found to be untrue, and it was shown that alter 1878
all long drives on both islands had been abolished, and instead of
driving seals from G to 12 miles, as was done in Eussiau times, none
were driven to exceed 2^ miles.

It is also a well-known fact that none but the physically strong and
aggressive bulls can hold a position on the rookeries and that a weak
or an impotent animal has no desire to go there.

The epidemic theory was urged very strongly in 1891, when the rook-

92 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

eries were found, covered mth dead pups, but a careful and technical
examination was made on several of the dead bodies without discover-
ing a trace of organic disease, while starvation was so apparent that
those who examined them decided that it was the true cause of their
death. Had sickness or disease attacked the seal herd, it is only reason-
able to suppose a few grown seals would be found dead where so many
young ones had died so suddenly, but the most diligent search has
failed to find a grown seal dead upon the islands from unknown causes.

From the discovery of tbe islands until the present time the flesh of
the fur seal has been the daily meat ration of the natives and of the
white people, and yet it is a fact that a tainted or diseased carcass
has never been known.

In my opinion the solution of the problem is plain. It is the shotgun
and rifle of the pelagic hunter which are so destructive to the cow seals
as they go backward and forward to the fishing banks to supply the
waste caused by giving nourishment to their young.

At this time they are destroyed by thousands and their young of but
a few weeks old must necessarily die of starvation, for nature has pro-
vided no other means of subsistence for them at this time of life.

Unless the pelagic hunter is prevented from taking seals in Bering
Sea and in the North Pacific, the Alaskan fur seal will soon cease to be
of commercial value.

L. A. Notes, M. D.

HABITS AND MANAGEMENT OF SEAXS AND RULES OF FUR COM-
PANIES—PELAGIC SEALING.

Deposition of J. G. Eedpath, agent of lessees on St. Paul Island.

St. Paul Island, Pribilof Group,

Alaslca, ss:

J. O. Redpath, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am an Ameri-
can citizen, a native of Connecticut, and I am 48 years of age. At
present I am a resident of St. Paul Island, Alaska. I have resided on
the seal islands of St. George and St. Paul since my first coming to
Alaska in 1875. My present occupation is that of local agent on St.
Paul Island for the present lessees, the North American Commercial
Company. I have a practical knowledge of, and am thoroughly con-
versant with, the habits and conditions of the fur seal as it exists on
the Pribilof Islands of St. George and St. Paul, and also of the methods
adopted and practiced in the taking of the skins, and of the several
efforts made by the former and present lessees, as experience taught
them, to increase the herd and to build up the rookeries and perpetuate
seal life. I have had a personal experience of seventeen seasons on
the killing grounds, in difterent situations, from that of seal clubber to
foreman, several years of which I have been the resident local agent.
My position as local agent has led me to make a careful study of the
seal question, and it is my duty to report from time to time to the gen-
eral agent of the lessees tbe result of my observations.

The Alaskan fur seal is a native of the Pribilof Islands, and, unless
prevented, will return to these islands every year with the regularity of
the season. All the peculiarities of nature that surround the Pribilof
group of islands, such as low and even temperature, fog, mist, and per-
petually clouded sky, seem to indicate their fitness and adaptability as
a home for the Alaskan fur seal; and with an instinct bordering on

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 93

reason they have selected these lonely and barren islands as the choicest
spots of earth upon which to assemble and dwell together during- their
six months' stay on land; and annually they journey across thousands
of miles of ocean and pass hundreds of islands, without pause or rest,
until they come to the place of their birth. And it is a well established
fact that upon no other land in the world do the Alaskan fur seal haul
out of water.

Early in May the bulls approach the islands and, after cautiously and
carefully reconnoitering the surroundings, haul out and select their
situations on the rookeries, where they patiently await the coming of
the cows. When they first appear upon the rookeries the bulls are fat
and sleek and very aggressive, but after a stay of from three to four
mouths, without food, they crawl away from the rookeries in a very
lean condition. In my opinion the bull seal returns to the spot he
occupied the preceding years, and I know of several instances, where
he could be distinguished by the loss of an eye or a flipper, in which
he actually did return for a series of years to the same spot.

The mother seals or cows commence to haul about June 10, and nearly
all of them are on the rookeries by July 15, and I believe they bring
forth their young almost immediately after reaching their places on the
rookeries. When the pup is from four to six days old the mother goes
into the water for food and, as time passes, her stay becomes longer,
until finally she will be away from her pup for several days at a time,
and sometimes for a whole week. During these longer migrations she
often goes 200 miles from the rookery, and I have been informed by men
who were engaged in the trade of pelagic hunting that they had taken
" mothers in milk" at a distance of 200 miles from the seal islands.

Ko cow will nurse any pup but her own, and I have often watched
the pups attempt to suck cows, but they were always driven off; and
this fact convinces me that the cow recognizes her own pup and that
the pup does not know its dam. At birth and for several weeks after,
the pup is utterly helpless and entirely dependent on its dam for sus
tenance; and should anything prevent her return during this period it
dies on the rookery. This has been demonstrated beyond a doubt since
the sealing vessels have operated largely in Bering Sea during the
months of July, August, and September, and which, killing the cows
at the feeding grounds, left the pups to die on the islands.

At about 5 weeks old the pups begin to run about and congregate in
bunches or " pods," and at 6 to 8 weeks old they go into the shallow
water and gradually learn to swim.

They are not amphibious when born, nor can they swim for several
weeks thereafter, and were they put into the water would perish
beyond a doubt, as has been well established by the drowning of pups
caught by the surf in stormy weather. After learning to swim the
pups still draw their sustenance from the cows, and I have noticed at
the annual killing of pups for food in November that their stomachs
were always full of milk, and nothing else, although the cows had left
the island some days before. 1 have no knowledge of the pups obtain-
ing sustenance of any kind except that furnished by the cows ; nor have
I ever seen anything but milk in a dead pup's stomach. The young
males from 2 to 5 years old, whose skins are taken by the lessees, begin
to haul out on land in May, and they continue to haul out till July.
They herd by themselves during the months of May, June, and July,
and they do this because, during the breeding season, they dare not
approach the breeding rookeries, or the bulls would destroy them
Being thus debarred from a position on the breeding rookeries or frois

94 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

intermingling with the cows, they herd together on the hauling grounds,
where they are easily approached and surrounded by the natives, who
drive them to the killing grounds without disturbing the breeding
rookeries.

Young males killed in May and June, when examined are found to
be in prime condition, and tlieir stomachs are filled with fish — princi-
pally codfish — but those killed later in the season are found to be poor
and lean and their stomachs empty; which shows that the males rarely
leave the islands for food during the summer months.

Statute law forbids the killing of the female seal, and nature regu-
lates the matter so that there is no danger of their being driven or killed
during the regular killing season, which takes place in June and July,
when all the "killing for skins" is done; and after all my experience
here I am free to say that a small fraction of 1 per cent would repre-
sent all the females killed on the islands since they became the prop-
erty of the United States.

The compact family arrangement so tenaciously adhered to during
the breeding season becomes relaxed in August, and the females scatter,
and a few of them mix with the young males, and when the natives
make a drive for food it occasionally happens that a female will accom-
pany the males, and sometimes one or two may be accidentally killed.
I use the word " accidentally" advisedly, because there is no good reason
why the natives or the lessees should kill a female designedly, as the
skin is of no more use or value (if so much), nor its flesh as good for
food as is that of the male. And, excepting accidents, it is a fact that
no female seals are, or ever were, killed on the Pribilof Islands since
American rules and regulations were established there.

The regular killing season for the skins under the lease begins June
1 and ends practically the last of July; and during this period the
first class Alaskan fur-seal skins are taken. The seals are driven from
the hauling to the killing grounds by experienced natives under the
orders of the native chief, and the constant aim and object of all con-
cerned is to exercise the greatest care in driving, so that the animals
may not be injured or abused in any manner. As tlie regulations require
the lessees to pay for every skin taken from seals killed by the orders
of their local agents, and as the skin of an overheated seal is valueless,
it is only reasonable to suppose that they would be the last men living
to encourage and allow their employees to overdrive or in any manner
injure the seals. I know that the orders given to me as local agent
were always of the most positive and emphatic kind on this point, and
they were always obeyed to the letter. Instead of overdriving or neg-
lecting the seals, the lessees have endeavored to do everything in their
power to shorten the distance between the hauling and killing grounds,
or between the hauling grounds and the salt house.

Before the Alaska Commercial Company leased the seal islands in
1870 it was a common practice to drive seals from Northeast Point to
the village of St. Paul Island, a distance of 12 miles, and from Zapadnie
to the village of St. George Island, a distance of 6 miles, across a very
rough and rugged country.

From Halfway Point and from Zapadnie on St. Paul Island seals
were driven respectively 5 and 6 miles. When the Alaska Commercial
Company took control of the islands the drive from Northeast Point
was prohibited, and a salt house and other necessary buildings erected
within 2 miles of the killing ground, and all the skins taken there were
salted and stored and shipped from Northeast Point. In 1870 a killing
ground was made and a salt house built at Halfway Point, within 2

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 95

miles of the hauling grounds, and all skins taken at the Point are salted
there. At Zapadnie the same year a killing ground was made within
a mile of the hauling ground, and the skins taken there are taken to
the village salt house in boats, or when the weather is unfavorable by
team and wagon.

Since 1878 there has not been a drive made on St. Paul Island to
exceed 2 miles. At Zapadnie, St. George, a salt house was built about
1875 and the 6-mile drive prohibited and a trail made at great expense
across the island, over which the skins are taken on pack saddles to the
village. Since 1874 no seals have been driven on St. George Island to
exceed 2^ miles.

Although the seals are comparatively tame after being on the land
for a short time and do not get scared so easily as is commonly supposed,
the rules and regulations of the Treasury Department are very strict
on the question of absolute protection to the seals on the islands, and
the Treasury agents have always most rigidly enforced them.

It is unlawful to fire a gun on the islands from the time the first seal
appears in the spring until the last one leaves at the end of the season;
and in order to proi)erly enforce this law the firearms are taken from
the natives and locked up in the Government house in care of the
Treasury agents.

No person is allowed to go near a rookery unless by special order of
the Treasury agent, and, when driving from the hauling grounds, the
natives are forbidden to smoke or make any unusual noise, or to do any-
thing that might disturb or frighten the seals. All driving is done
when the weather is cool and moist, and when the condition of the
weather demands it the drives are made in the cool of the night, and
in no case are seals driven at a higher rate of speed than about half a
mile an hour. So carefully is the driving done that it has been found
necessary to divide the native drivers into several "watches," which
relieve each other on the road, because the pace being so slow the men
get cold.

From 1875 to 1883 it was no uncommon thing for the lessees to take
the annual quota of 100,000 skins between June 1 and July 20, and yet
there was no sign of any decrease, but rather an expansion of most of
the rookeries.

I do not pretend to be able to say how many seals there are, or ever
were, on the rookeries; nor do I believe anybody else can tell; for the
rookeries are so broken and filled with rocks it is impossible to esti-
mate the number of seals upon them with any approach to accuracy.
The lines of expansion and contraction are plain enough, and can be
seen and understood by the whole community.

Until 1884 sealing schooners were seen but very seldom near the
islands or in Bering Sea, and the few seals taken by the hunters who
rai«led the rookeries occasionally are too paltry to be seriously con-
sidered, because the raids were so few, and the facilities for taking
many seals oft so utterly insignificant. In 1884 the sealing schooners
became numerous. I believe there were about 30 in the sea that year,
and they have increased very rapidly every year since, until now they
are said to be about 120. As the schooners increased the seals decreased,
and the lines of contraction on the rookeries were noticed to draw nearer
and nearer to the beach, and the killable seals became fewer in num-
bers and harder to find. In 1886 the decrease was so plain that the
natives and all the agents on the islands saw it and were startled, and
theories of all sorts were advanced in an attempt to account for a cause.

A dearth of bulls on the breeding rookeries was a pet theory of one

96 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

01- two transient visitors, but it only needed a thoiough investigation of
the condition of the rookeries to convince the most skeptical that there
were plenty of bulls, and to spare, and that hardly a cow could be found
on the rookeries without a pup at her side.

For five years I have given this particular subject my most earnest
attention, and every succeeding year's exjjerience has convinced me
that there is not, and never was, a dearth of bulls. The theory of
impotency of tbe young bulls because of overdriving when young is
not worthy of consideration by any sane or honest man who has ever
seen a bull seal on a breeding rookery; and as I have already answered
the question of overdriving, I will only add here that no young bull
goes upon a breeding rookery until he is able to fight his way in, and
an impotent bull has no desire to fight, nor could he win a position on
the rookery were he to attempt it. The man is not alive who ever saw
a 6 or 7 year old bull seal impotent.

Another theory, equally untrue, was that an epidemic had seized the
herd, but investigations of the closest kind have never revealed the
death on the islands of a full-grown seal from unknown causes. Let it
be remembered that the flesh of the seal is the staple diet of the natives,
and that it is eaten daily by most of the white employees as well; and
yet it is true that a sign of taint or disease has never been found on a
seal carcass in the memory of man. It was not until so many thousands
of dead pups were found upon the rookeries that the problem was solved.

The truth is that when the cows go out to the feeding grounds to feed
they are shot and killed by the pelagic hunter, and the pups, deprived
of sustenance, die upon the rookeries. Excepting a few pups killed by
the surf occasionally, it has been demonstrated that all the pups found
dead are poor and starved, and when examined their stomachs are found
to be without a sign of food of any sort. In 1891 the rookeries on St.
Paul Island were covered in places with dead pups, all of which had
every symptom of having died of hunger, and on opening several of
them the stomachs were found to be empty.

The resident physician, Dr. Akerly, examined many of them and
found in every instance that starvation was the cause of death. The
lowest estimate made at the time, placing the number of dead pups on
the rookeries at 25,000, is not too high

It has been said that man can do nothing to facilitate the proj^aga-
tion of the fur seal. My experience does not support this. The reser-
vation of females and the killing of the surplus males, so that each
bull can have a reasonable number of cows, is more advantageous to
the growth of the rookeries than when in a state of nature bulls killed
each other in their efforts to secure a single cow.

The same care can be and is exercised in the handling and manage-
ment of the seal herd as is bestowed by a ranchman upon his bands of
ranging stock, and is productive of like results. The seals have become
so accustomed to the natives that the presence of the latter does not
disturb them. The pups are easily handled by the natives, and for-
merly, when used as an article of food, thousands of pups were actually
picked up and examined, in accordance with Government requirement,
to avoid the killing of a female. So easily are the seals controlled
that, when a drive of bachelors is made to the killing grounds, a guard
of two or three small boys is sufficient to keep them from straying,
and from the general band any number from one upward can be
readily cut out. It is possible in the future, as it has been in the past,
to reserve unmolested suitable areas to serve as breeding grounds; to
set aside each year a proper number of young males for future service

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 97

Upon the rookeries, and by the application of the ordinary stock-breed-
ing principles not only to perpetuate, but to rapidly increase, the seal
herd.

To one who has spent so many years among the seals as I have, and
who has taken so much interest in them, it does appear to be wrong
that they should be allowed to be so ruthlessly and indiscriminately
slaughtered by pelagic hunters, who secure only about one-fourth of ail
they kill. There is no doubt in my mind that unless immediate j)ro-
tection be given to the Alaskan fur seal the species will be practically
destroyed in a very few years; and in order to protect them pelagic
hunting must be absolutely prohibited.

The foregoing is substantially the same testimony that I gave to the
commissioners who visited the islands in 1891.

J. 0. liEDPATH.

PRIBTLOF ROOKERIES.

Deposition of Charles J. Gaff, Treasury agent in charge of Prihilof Islands.

District of Columbia,

City of Washington., ss:

Charles J. Goff, of Clarksburg, W. Va., being duly sworn, deposes
and says: I am 45 years of age; during the years 1889 and 1890 I occu-
pied the position of special Treasury agent in charge of the Pribilof
Islands. I was located on St. Paul Island, only visiting St. George
IslaiKl occasionally. About the 1st of June, 1889, 1 arrived on St. Paul
Island, and remained there until October 12, 1889, when 1 returned to
San Francisco for the winter. Again went to the islands in 1890, arriv-
ing there about the last week in May, and remaining until August 12,
1890. Since that time I have never been on the islands. My principal
observations as to seal life upon the islands were confined to St. Paul
Island, as I only visited St. George Island occasionally.

During my first year on the islands the Alaska Commercial Company
was the lessee thereof, and during my second year the North American
Coinmercial Company. In 1889 1 made careful observations of the rook-
eries on St. Paul Island and marked out the areas covered by the breed-
ing grounds; in 1890 I examined these lines made by me the former year
and found a very great shrinkage in the spaces covered by breeding
seals.

In 1889 it was quite difficult for the lessees to obtain their full quota
of 100,000 skins. So difficult was it, in fact, that in order to turn off a
sufficient number of 4 and 5 year old males from the hauling grounds
for breeding purposes in the future the lessees were compelled to take
about 50,000 skins of seals of 1 or 2 years of age. I at once reported
this fact to the Secretary of the Treasury, and advised the taking of a
less number of skins the following year. Pursuant to such report the
Government fixed upon the number to be taken at 60,000, and further
ordered that all killing of seals on the islands should stop after the 20th
day of July. I was further ordered that I should notify the natives
upon the Aleutian Islands that all killing of seals while coming from or
going to the seal islands was prohibited. These rules and regulations
went into effect in 1890, and pursuant thereto I posted notices for the
natives at various points along the Aleutian chain, and saw that the
orders in relation to the time of killing and number allowed to be killed
were executed upon the islands. As a result of the enforcement of these

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 7

08 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

regulations the lessees were unable to take more than 21,238 seals of
the killable age of from 1 to 5 years during the season of 1890, so great
had been the decrease of seal life in one year, and it would have been
impossible to obtain 60,000 skins even if the time had been unrestricted.

The Table A apjjendedto this affidavit^ shows how great had been the
decrease on St. Paul Island hauling grounds, bearing in mind the fact
that the driving and killing was done by the same persons as in former
years, and was as diligently carried on, the weather being as favorable
as in 1889 for seal driving. I believe that the sole cause of the decrease is
pelagic sealing, which from reliable information I understand to have
increased greatly since 1884 or 1885. Another fact I have gained from
reliable sources is that the great majority of seals taken in the open sea
are pregnant or females in milk. It is an unquestiouable fact that the
killing of these females destroys the pups they are carrying or nursing.
The result is that this destruction of i^ups takes about equally from the
male and female increase of the herd, aaid when so many male pups are
killed in this manner, besides the 100,000 taken on the islands, it neces-
sarily affects the numl3er of killable seals. In 1889 this drain upon male
seal life showed itself on the islands, and this, in my opinion, accounts
for the necessity of the lessees taking so many young seals that year to
fill out their quota.

As soon as the effects of the pelagic sealing were noticed by me upon
the islands I reported the same, and the Government at once took steps
to limit the killing upon the islands, so that the rookeries might have
an opportunity to increase their numbers to their former condition; but
it will be impossible to repair the depletion if pelagic sealing continues.
I have no doubt, as I reported, that the taking of 100,000 skins in 1889
afteoted the male life on the islands, and cut into the reserve of male
seals necessary to preserve annually for breeding purposes in the future,
but this fact did not become evident until it was too late to repair the
fault that year. Except for the numbers destroyed by j)elagic sealing
in the years previous to 1889 the hauling grounds would not have been
so depleted, and the taking of 100,000 male seals would not have
impaired the reserve for breeding purposes or diminished to any extent
the seal life on the Pribilof Islands. Even in this diminished state of
the rookeries in 1889 I carefully observed that in the majority of cases
the 4 and 5 year old males were allowed to drop out of a "drive"
before the bachelors had been driven any distance from the hauling
grounds. These seals were let go for the sole purj^ose of supplying
suiflcient future breeders.

A few seals are injured by redriving (often conflicted with overdriv-
ing and sometimes so called), but the number so injured is inconsiderable
and could have no appreciable effect upon seal life through destroying
the virility of the male. The decrease, caused by pelagic sealing, com-
pelled whatever injurious redriving has taken place on the islands, as
it was often necessary to drive every two or three days from the same
hauling grounds, which caused many seals let go in a former "drive"
to be driven over again before thoroughly rested. If a "drive" was
made only once a week from a certain hauling ground, as had been the
case before pelagic sealing grew to such enormous proportions and
depleted the rookeries, there would be no damage at all resulting from
redriving.

In my opinion pelagic sealing is the cause of redriving on the islands,
the depletion of the rookeries, and promises to soon make the Alaska

' See " Island Records," Appendix.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 99

fdr-seal herd a thing of the past. If continued as it is to-day, even if
killing on the islands was absolutely forbidden, the herd will in a few
years be exterminated. I am, therefore, of the opinion that pelagic
sealing should be absolutely prohibited both in Bering Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean. If this is done and a few years are allowed the
seal herd to recover from the enormous slaughter of the past seven
years the Pribilof Islands will produce their 100,000 skins as heretofore
fo-r an indefinite period.

I hereby append to and make a part of this affidavit a table, marked
A,' giving the number of seals killed each day on the island of St. Paul
during the years 1889 and 1890 up to the 20th day of July.

* • « • « # #

Charles J. Goff.

MANAaEMENT OF SEAL KILLING, AND PELAGIC SEALING.

JDeposition of Abial P. Loud, special assistant Treasury agent on Pribilof

Islands.

District of Columbia,

City of Washington, ss:

Abial P. Loud, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a resident
of Hampden, Me., and am 55 years of age. On Aj)ril 4, 1885, I was
appointed special assistant Treasury agent for the seal islands, and
immediately started for the islands, arriving at the island of St. Paul
on May 28 or 30. Spent that season on St. Paul Island, and returned
for the winter to the States, leaving the islands on the 18th of August.
Went back again next spring, arriving there in latter part of May, and
remained until August, 1887, on St. Paul Island. Spent the season
of 1888 and 1889 on St. Georg(} Island, returning in the fall of 1889 to
the States. In 1889 I spent some time in the fall on St. Paul Island.
On whichever island I was located I always kept careful watch and
made frequent examinations of the rookeries during this entire period.
During the time from 1885 to 1889 there was a very marked decrease
in the size of the breeding grounds on St. Paul Island, and from 1887
to 1889 I also noticed a great decrease in the areas covered by the
rookeries on St. George Island.

In his reports of 1886 and 1887 George R. Tingle, special Treasury
agent in charge of the seal islands, reported having measured the rook-
eries on the islands, and that the seals had largely increased in num-
ber, giving the increase at about 2,000,000. From this report I dissented
at the time, as I was unable to see any increase, but, on the contrary, a
perceptible decrease, in the rookeries. I expressed my views to many
on the islands, and all agreed that there had been no increase in seal
life. I do not think that there was a single person on the island except
Mr. Tingle who thought there had been an increase, or, in fact, that
there had not been a decrease in seal life. The measurements of the
rookeries on which Mr. Tingle relied were made with a common rope by
ignorant natives while the seals were absent from the islands, the
grounds covered by them being designated by Mr. Tingle from memory.
Even if these measurements had been correct, which was impossible, I

1 See "Island Records," Appendix.

100 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

do not believe it is possible to calculate even approximately the number
of seals upon the rookeries because of the broken nature of the ground
and the irregular outlines of the breeding grounds. While I was on
the islands I attended nearly every drive of the bachelor seals from the
hauling grounds to the killing grounds, and these drives were conducted
by the natives with great care, and no seals were killed by overdriving,
plenty of time being always given them to rest and cool off. A few
were smothered by the seals climbing over each other when wet; but
the number was very inconsiderable, being a fraction of 1 per cent of
those driven, and did not to any extent affect the seal life on the islands.
The greatest care was always taken to avoid overdriving both by the
Government officers and employees of the lessees.

During my experience (and I was on the killing ground at every kill-
ing that took place wlule I was on the islands) I never saw a male seal
which had been injured by being redriven several times from the same
hauling ground. I am convinced that while I was there there was not
a single case in which the virility of a male seal was destroyed or
impaired in the slightest degree by driving, redriving, or overdriving,
and I took i)articular notice of. the condition of the males during each
drive. The males old enough for service on the breeding grounds were
always allowed to return to the hauling ground from a drive, and I am
satisfied a sufficient number of males was always reserved for future
breeding purposes. A suggestion was made to the Secretary of the
Treasury in the fall of 1885 that some old bulls should be killed, but
the Secretary declined to permit such animals to be destroyed. I am
con vinced that the decrease in the rookeries was caused entirely by open-
sea sealing. As I was not present on the islands in the fall of 1885, I
am unable to make a statement as to the number of dead pups on the
rookeries in that year, but in 1886 I saw a large number of dead pups
lying about. These pups were very much emaciated, and evidently had
been starved to death. I account for this by the killing of the mothers
by open-sea sealers before the pups were weaned, and because a mother
will not suckle auy pup except her own.

In 1887 the number of dead pups was much larger than in 1886. In
1888 there was a less number than in 1887 or in 1889, owing, as I believe,
to a decrease of seals killed in Bering Sea that year, but in 1889 the
increase again showed itself. I believe the number of dead pups
increased in about the same ratio as the number of seals taken in Bering
Sea by pelagic sealers. While I was on the island there were not more
than three or four raids on the rookeries to my knowledge, and I think
that the destruction to seal life by raiding rookeries is a small part of
1 x)er cent as compared with the numbers taken by killing in the water.
Another fact in connection with open-sea sealing is that the great
majority of seals killed are females, and that a great part of the females
are pregnant or in milk. The milking females are most all killed whde
visiting the feeding grounds, which are distant 40 or 60 miles, or even
farther from the islands. The female necessarily feeds so she can sup-
ply nourishment for her young, while the males during the summer
seldom leave the islands. This accounts for the large number of females
killed in Bering Sea. In July, 1887, I captured the poaching schooner
Angel T>oJh/ while she was hovering about the islands. I examined the
seal skins she had on board, and about 80 per cent were skins of females.
In 1888 or 1889 I examined something like 5,000 skins at Unalaska
which had been taken from schooners engaged in pelagic sealing in
Bering Sea, and at least 80 to 85 per cent were skins of females.

I have conversed with the captains of several marauding schooners

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 101

and others wbo were employed in pelagic sealing luive informed me tliat
they usually use rilies in shooting seals in the water. Some, however,
use shotguns, but to no great extent. From these conversations I should
judge they did not secure more than one-half of the seals killed, and
this, I think, is a large estimate of the number secured. 1 am of the
opinion that the Pribilof seal herd should be protected both in Bering
Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. If an imaginary line were drawn
about the islands, 30 or 40 miles distant therefrom, within which sealing
would be prohibited, this would be little protection to seal life, for all
the poachers whom I interviewed acknowledged that they could get
more seals in the water near the fishing banks, 30, 40, or more miles from
the islands, than in the immediate vicinity thereof, and the hunters on
the schooners always com]dainedif they got much nearer than 40 miles
of the islands. I am certain that even if sealing were prohibited entirely
u])on the islands the seal herd would in a short time be exterminated by
l)elagic sealing, if permitted, because the females — that is, the pro-
ducers— are the seals principally killed by open-sea scaling.

Abiai, p. Loud.

PELAGIC SEALING — MANAGEMENT.

Deposition ofKerrick Artomanoff, native chief, resident of St. Paul Island.

Alaska, United States of America,

St. Paul Island, Pribilof Group, ss :

Kerrick Artomanoff, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a
native Aleut and reside on St. Paul Island, Pribilof group, Alaska.
I was born at Northeast Point, on St. Paul Island, and am 07 years of
age. I have worked on the sealing grounds for the last fifty years and
am well acquainted with the methods adopted by the Russian and
American Governments in taking of fur-seal skins and in protecting
and iireserviug the herds on the island. In 1870, when the Alaska Com-
mercial Company obtained a lease of the islands, I was made chief, and
held the position for seventeen years.

It was my duty as chief to take charge of and conduct the drives
■with my people from the hauling to the killing grounds. The methods
used by the Alaska Commercial Company and the American Govern-
ment for the care and preservation of the seals were much better than
those used by the Russian Government. In old Russian times we used
to drive seals from Northeast Point to the village, a distance of nearly
13 miles, and we used to drive 5 or 6 miles from other hauling grounds;
but when the Americans got the islands they soon after shortened all
the drives to less than 3 miles.

From 1870 to 1884 the seals were swarming on the hauling grounds
and the rookeries, and for many years they spread out more and more.
All of a sudden, m 1884, we noticed there were not so many seals, and
they have been decreasing very rapidly ever since. My j)eople won-
dered why this was so, and no one could tell why until we learned that
hunters in schooners were shooting and destroying them in the sea.
Then we knew what the trouble was, for we knew the seals they killed
and destroyed must be cows, for mostly all the males remain on or near
the islands until they go away in the fall or fore part of the winter.
We also noticed dead pups on the rookeries that had been starved to
death. These young pups have increased from year to year since 1887,

102 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

and in 1891 tbe rookeries were covered with dead pups. In my sixty-
seven years' residence on the islands I never before saw anything like
it. None of our people have ever known of any sickness among the
pups or seals, and have never seen any dead pups on the rookeries,
except a few killed by the old bulls when fighting, or by drowning
when the surf washed them off. If they had not killed the seals in the
sea there would be as many on the rookeries as there was ten years ago.
There was not one-fourth as many seals in 1891 as there was in 1880.

The fur seal goes away from the island in the fall or winter and he
returns in May or June; and I believe he will haul up in the same place
each year, for I particularly noticed some that I could tell that hauled
up in the same place for a number of years; and when we make drives,
those we do not kill, but let go into the water, are all back where we
took them from in a few hours. The pups are born between the middle
of June and the middle of July, and can not swim until they are 6 or
7 weeks old; ami if born in the water they would die. I have seen the
surf wash some of the young pups into the sea, and they drowned in a
very short time. In four or five days after it is born the mother seal
leaves her pup and goes away in the water to feed, and when the pup
is 2 or 3 weeks old the mother often stays away for five or six days at a
time. The mother seals know their own pups by smelling them, and no
seal will allow any but her own pup to suck her. When the pups grow
to be 6 or 8 weeks old they form in " pods " and work down to the
shore, and they try the water at the edge until they learn to swim.
They will remain on the island until November, and, if not too cold,
will stay till December. I have seen them swimming around the island
late in January. All the seals when they leave the islands go off south,
but I think they would stay around here all winter if the weather was
not so cold.

When they come back to the islands they come from the south, and
I think they come from the North Pacific Ocean over the same track
that they went. The females go upon the rookeries as soon as they arrive
here, but the yearlings, males and females, herd together. I think they
stay in the water most of the time the first year, but after that they
come regularly to the hauling grounds and rookeries, but do not come
as early in the season as they do after they are 2 years old. Male seals
from 2 to 6 years old do not go on the breeding rookeries, but haul out
by themselves. The female seal gives birth to but one pup every year,
and she has her first pup when she is 3 years old. The male seal estab-
lishes himself on the breeding rookery in May or June, when he is 7 or 8
years old, and he fights for his cows and does not leave the place he has
selected until August or September. Our people like the meat of the
seal, and we eat no other meat so long as we can get it.

The pup seals are our chicken meat, and we used to be allowed to kill
3,000 or 4,000 male pups every year in November; but the Government
agent forbade us to kill any in 1891, and said we should not be allowed
to kill any more, and he gave us other meat in place of pup meat, but
we do not like any other meat as well as the pui)-seal meat. We under-
stand the danger there is in the seals being all killed off, and that we
will have no way of earning our living. There is not one of us but what
believes if they had not killed them off" by shooting them in the water
there would be as many seals on the island now as there was in 1880,
and we could go on forever taking 100,000 seals on the two islands.
But if they get less as fast as they have in the last five or six years,
there will be none left in a little while.

KJEERICK AETOMANOFF.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 103

Deposition of Daniel Webster,

Alaska, United States,

St. George Island, Pribilof Group, ss :

Daniel Webster, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 60 years
of age, and am a resident of Oakland, Cal. ; my occupation is that of
local agent for the aSIorth American Commercial Company, and at ines-
ent I am stationed on St. George Island, of the Pribilof group, Alaska;
I have been in Alaskan waters every year but two since 1 was 14 years
of age. I first went to Bering Sea in 1845, on a whaling voyage, and
annually visited these waters in that pursuit until 18G8, at which time
the purchase and transfer of Alaska was made to the United States;
since that time I have been engaged in taking of fur seals for their
skins. In 1870 I entered the employ of the lessees of the Pribilof
Islands, and have been so engaged ever since, and for the last thirteen
years have been the company's local agent on St. George Island, and
during the sealing season have, a part of the time, gone to St. Paul
Island and took charge of the killing at Northeast Point, which is known
to be the largest fur seal rookery in the world. For ten years prior to
1878 I resided most of the time at Northeast Point, having landed and
taken seals there in 1868. I have had twenty-four years' experience in
the fur-seal industry as it exists in the waters of the North Pacific and
Bering Sea, and have made a very careful study of the habits and con-
ditions of this useful animal. During this period it has been my duty
as a trusted employee of the lessees to observe and report, each year,
the condition of the rookeries. My instructions were explicit and
emphatic to never permit, under any circumstances, any practices to
obtain that would result in injury to the herds. These instructions
have been faithfully carried out by myself and other employees of the
lessees of the Islands, and the laws and regulations governing the per-
petuation of seal life have been rigidly enforced by all the Government
agents in charge of the islands.

Ill my twenty- three years' experience as a whaler in Bering Sea and the
North Pacific, durin g which time I visited every part of the coast surround-
in g these waters, and my subsequent twenty- four years' experience on the
seal islands in Bering and Okhotsk seas, I have never known or heard
of any place where the Alaskan fur seals breed except on the Pribilof
group in Bering Sea. These islands are isolated and seem to possess
the necessary climatic conditions to make them the favorite breeding
grounds of the Alaskan fur seals, and it is here they congregate during
the summer months of each year to bring forth and rear their young.
Leaving the islands late in the fall or in early winter, on account of the
inclemency of the weather, they journey southward through the passes
of the Aleutian Archipelago to the coast of California, Oregon, and
Washington, and, gradually working their way back to Bering Sea,
they again come up on the rookeries soon after the ice disappears from
the shores of the islands; and my observation leads me to believe that
they select, as near as possible, the places they occupied the year
before. The young seals are born on the breeding rookeries in June
and July. The head coustitutes the greater part of this animal at this
time, and they are clumsy and awkward in all their movements, aod if
swept into the water by accident or otherwise would perish from inabil-
ity to swim — a fact that I have often observed, and one which is well
known to all who have paid any attention to the subject. Practically,
they remain in this helpless condition, though taking on fat rapidly,
until they are from 6 to 7 weeks old, when they commence to go into

104 ALASKA INDUSTRTES.

sliallow water, and, after repeated trials, learn to swim; but even then
they spend most of their time on land nntil they leave the islands late
in IS'ovember. Durin,£^ the first few weeks after their birth they are not
amphibious, and land is a necessity to their existence. The mother
seals go out to sea to feed soon after giving birth to their young, and
return at intervals of from a few hours to several days to suckle and
nourish their young.

The mother seal readily distinguishes her own offspring from that of
others, nor will she i)ermit the young of any other seal to suckle her.
I have noticed in the killing of young seals (pups) for food in November
that their stomachs were full of milk, although, apparently, the mothers
had not been on the islands for several days previous. I have observed
that the male seals taken in the forepart of the season, or within a few
days after their arrival at the islands, are fat and their stomachs con-
tain quantities of undigested fish (mostly cod), while the stomachs of
these killed in the latter part of the season are empty; and they dimin-
ish in flesh until they leave the islands late in the season.

I am of the opinion that while the female often goes long distances to
feed while giving nourishment to her young, the male seals of 2 years
old and over seldom, if ever, leave the islands for that purpose until they
start on their migration southward. When the seals are on the breed
ing grounds they are not easily frightened unless they are too nearly
approached, and even then they will go but a short distance if the cause
of their fright becomes stationary.

It is impossible to estimate with any sort of accuracy the number of
seals on the Pribilof Islands, because of the seals being constantly in
motion, and because the breeding grounds are so covered with broken
rocks of all sizes that the densitj^ varies. I think all estimates hereto-
fore made are unreliable, and in the case of Elliott and others who have
endeavored to make a census of seal life, the numbers are, in my opinion,
exaggerated. Measurements of the breeding grounds, liowever, show
an increase or decrease of the number of seals, because the harems are
always crowded together as closely as the nature of the ground and
temper of the old bulls will permit. My observation has been that
there was an expansion of the rookeries from 1870 up to at least 1879,
which fact I attribute to the careful management of the islands by the
United States Government. In the year 1880 I thouglit I began to
notice a fjilling off' from the number of seals on Northeast Point rookery,
but this decrease was so very slight that probably it would not have
been observed by one less familiar with seal life and its conditions than
I; but I could not discover or learn that it showed itself on any of the
other rookeries. In 1884 and 1885 I noticed a decrease, and it became
so marked in 1886 that everyone on the islands saw it. This marked
decrease in 188(5 showed itself on all the rookeries on both islands.

Until 1887 or 1888, however, the decrease was not felt in obtaining
skins, at which time the standard was lowered from 6 and 7 pounds to
5 and 4^ pounds. The hauling grounds of Northeast Point kept up
the standard longer than the other rookeries, because, as I believe, the
latter rookeries had felt the drain of open-sea sealing during 1885 and
1886 more than Northeast Point, the cows from the other rookeries
having gone to the southward to feed, where the majority of the sealing
schooners were engaged in taking seal. There was never while 1 have
been upon the island any scarcity of vigorous bulls, there always being
a sufficient number to fertilize all the cows coming to the islands. It
was always borne in mind by those on the islands that a suflicient num-
ber of males must be jjreserved for breeding purposes, and this accounts

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 105

partly for the lowering of the standard weight of skins in 1888. The
season of 1891 showed that male seals had certainly been in sufficient
number the j^ear before, because the pups on the rookeries were as
many as should be for the number of cows landing, the ratio being the
same as in former years. Then, too, there was a surplus of vigorous
bulls in 1891 who could obtain no cows. Every care is taken in driving
the seals from the hauling to the killing grounds, and during the regu-
lar killing season of June and July there are no females driven, because
at this season they are on the breeding rookeries and do not intermingle
with the young males. If occasionally one does happen to be in the
drive great care is taken not to injure her; the law prohibiting the kill-
ing of the female seal is well understood by the natives, and they are
thoroughly in sympathy with it. Even were I to request them to kill
a female seal they would refuse to do it, and would immediately report
me to the Government agent. I have known an occasional one to be
killed by accident during the food drives late in the season, when the
males and females intermingle on the hauling grounds, but the clubber
was always severely rebuked by the chief for his carelessness, as well
as by the Government and company officers.

My observation is that the number of female seals killed on the
islands from all causes is too insignificantly small to be noticed. The
longest drives made on St. George Island are from Starry Arteel and
Great Eastern rookeries, and they are kss than 3 miles long. Drives
from these rookeries require from four to six hours, according to the
weather. At Zapadnie rookery, on St. George, the drive to the killing
grounds is less than a mile, the seals are now being killed there instead
of being driven across the island as they were prior to 1878, when it
took three days to make the journey. There is now a salt house at
Zapadnie, at which the skins are salted as soon as taken. The killing
grounds on both islands are all situated within a very short distance
from the shore, and seals not suitable to be killed, or that are turned
out for any cause, immediately go into the water, and, after sporting
around for an hour or two, they return to the hauling grounds, and to
all appearances they are as unconcerned and careless of the presence
of man as they were before they were driven to the killing grounds.
I have often observed that the seals when on the Islands do not take
fright easily at the presence of man; and the natives go among them
with impunity. They will go into a herd of seals on the hauling
grounds and quietly separate them into as many divisions and subdivi-
sions as is necessary before driving them to the killing grounds. At
the killing grounds they are again divided into bunches or "pods" of
20 or 30 each more readily than the same number of domestic animals
could be handled under the same circumstances.

The bulls on the rookeries will not only stand their ground against
the apjjroach of man, but will become the aggressors if disturbed.
Pups are tame and very playful when young, and previous to 1891,
when it was the practice to kill 3,000 or 4,000 for natives' food in
Noveu)ber, thousands of them were picked up and handled to determine
sex, for only the males were allowed to be killed. Hair seal and seal
lions haul out on the islands and are seldom disturbed, yet they will
plunge into the water at once should they discover anyone upon their
rookeries. But it is not so with the fur seal. They seem at home on
the rookeries and hauling grounds, and they show a degree of domestica-
tion seldom found among similar animals. At Northeast Point rookery,
on St. Paul Island, the longest drive is 2 miles. In former times the
Russians used to drive from this rookery to St. Paul village, a distance

106 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

of 12^ miles. Seals turned away from the killing groutuls return to the
rookery from which they were driven; therefore a male seal is not
redriven day alter day, because a hauling ground is always given sev-
eral days' rest before being driven from again. I never saw or heard of
the generative organs of a male seal being injured by driving or by
redriving, and if such a thing had taken place, even in exceptional
cases, the natives would have noticed and reported it, which they never
did. I have seen a seal's flippers made sore by driving, but I never
saw one that was seriously injured by driving. I do not believe that a
male seal's powers of reproduction were ever affected by driving or
redriving.

The bulls maintain their positions on the rookeries from the time
they arrive till the cows come by most bloody battles, and after the
cows commence arriving they are continually contending for their pos-
sessions. During these conflicts they are often seriously wounded, and
their exertions are far more violent than any effort made by a young
male during a drive. Then, too, the male seal must have great vitality
to remain on the rookeries for three months without eating or drinking
and with little sleep. In spite of this drain on his vital force he
is able to fertilize all the cows which he can get possession of, and a
barren cow is a rarity. I believe that a bull can serve one hundred or
more cows, and it is an absurdity to think that an animal possessing
such remarkable vigor could be made impotent by being driven or
redriven when a bachelor. An impotent bull would have neither the
inclination or vigor to maintain himself on the rookeries against the
fierce and vigorous possessors of harems. The only bulls hauling up
away from the breeding rookeries are those whose extreme old age and
long service have made them impotent and useless, and I have never
seen or heard tell of anything that would make an exception to this
rule. The methods employed in taking the skins are, in my opinion,
the best that can be adopted. The killing grounds are situated as near
the rookeries and hauling grounds as is possible without having the
breeders or bachelors disturbed by the smell of blood or putrefaction,
and most stringent regulations have always been enforced to prevent
disturbing or frightening the breeding seals.

I am convinced that if open-sea sealing had never been indulged in
to the extent it has since 1885, or perhaps a year or two earlier, 100,000
male .skins could have been taken annually forever from the Pribilof
Islands without decreasing the seal herd below its normal size and
condition. The cause of the decrease which has taken place can be
accounted for only by open sea sealing; for, until that means of destruc-
tion to seal life grew to be of such proportions as to alarm those inter-
ested in the seals, the seal herd increased, and since that time the
decrease of the number of seals has been proportionate to the increase
in the number of those engaged in open-sea sealing. The majjority of
seals killed in the water are females, and all the females killed in Ber-
ing Sea are motliers who have left their pups on the rookeries and gone
some distance from the islands in search of food. The death of every
such mother seal at sea means the death of her pup on shore, because
it is absolutely and entirely dependent on her for its daily sustenance.
I never heard of any disease among the seal herd, nor of an epidemic
of any sort or at any time in the history of the islands. I do not
remember the precise date of the first successful raid upon the rookeries
by sealing schooners, but I do know that for the past ten years there
have been many such raids attempted, and a few of them successfully
carried out, and that as the number of schooners increased around the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 107

islands, tlie attempted raids increased in proportion, and it has beei.
deemed necessary to keep armed guards near the rookeries to repel such
attacks. Although a few of the raids were successful, and a few hun-
dred seals killed and carried off from time to time during the past ten
years, the aggregate of all the seals thus destroyed is too small to be
mentioned when considering the cause of the sudden decliue of seal
life on the Pribilof Islands.

Twenty-four years of my life have been devoted to the sealing indus-
try in all of its details as it is pursued upon the Pribilof Islands, and
it is but natural that I shouM become deeply interested in the subject
of the seal life. My experience has been i)ractical rather than theo-
retical. I have seen the herds grow and multiply under careful man-
agement until their numbers were millions, as was the case in 1880.
From 1884 to 1891 1 saw their "numbers decline, under the same careful
management, until in the latter year there was not more than one-fourth
of their numbers coming to the islands. In my judgment there is but
one cause for that decline and the present condition of the rookeries,
and that is the shotgun and the ride of the pelagic hunter, and it is my
opinion that if the lessees had not taken a seal on the islands for the
last ten years we would still find the breeding grounds in about the
same condition as they are to-day, so destructive to seal life are the
methods adopted by these hunters. I believe the number they secure
is small, as compared with the number they destroy. Were it males
only that they killed the damage would be temporary, but it is mostly
females that they kill in the open waters, and it is plain to anyone
familiar with this animal that extermination must soon follow unless
some restrictive measures are adopted without delay.

The foregoing is substantially the same statement that I made to the
commissioners who visited the islands in 1891.

Daniel Webstee.

PELAGIC SEALING AND PRIBILOF ROOKERIES.

Deposition of Washington G. Coulson, United /States Revenue Marine, in

command of the Rush.

State op California,

City and County of San Francisco, ss:
Washington C. Coulson, having been duly sworn, deposes and says:
I am captain in the United States Revenue Cutter Service. At present
I am in command of the United States revenue cutter Rush. I was
attached to tlie United States revenue cutter Lincoln, under the com-
mand of Capt. C. M. Scammon, during the year 1870, from June until the
close of the year as a third lieutenant, and have been an officer in the
revenue service ever since. In the month of that year that I was in the
Bering Sea and at the seal islands of St. Paul and St. George. I went
on shore at both islands and observed the seals and seal life, the
method of killing, etc. I noticed particularly the great number of seal,
which were estimated by those competent to judge that at least 5,000,000
and possibly 6,000,000, were in sight on the different rookeries. To me
it seemed as though the hillside and hauling grounds were literally
alive, so great was the number of seals. At St. George Island, though
the seals were never in as great numbers nor were there so many haul-
ing places, the seals were very plentiful. At this time and for several
year thereafter pelagic sealing did not take place to any extent and the

108 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

animals were not diverted from their usual paths of travel. All fire,
arms were forbidden and never have been used on these islands in tlie
killing and taking of seals. In fact, unusual noise even on the ships at
anchor near these islands is avoided.

V'isiting the rookeries is not permitted only on certain conditions, and
anything that might frighten the seals avoided. The seals are never
killed in or near the rookeries, but are driven a short distance inland,
to grounds especially set apart for this work. I do not see how it is
possible to conduct the sealing process with greater care or judgment.
Under the direction of Mr. Eedpath, on St. Paul, and Mr. Webster, on
St. George islands — men who have superintended this work for many
years — the natives do the driving, and the killing is performed under
the supervision of the Government agents. The natives understand
just how much fatigue can be endured by the seals, and the kind of
weather suitable for driving and killing; no greater precaution in that
regard can be taken. The evidence of this is in the small percentage
of animals injured or overheated in these drives. I do not believe the
animals are much frightened or disturbed by the process of selecting
the drives from the rookeries, nor do I think it has a tendency to scare
the animals away from the islands.

During the seasons of 1890 and 1891 I was in command of the reve-
nue cutter R7ish in Bering Sea and cruised extensively in those waters
around the seal islands and the Aleutian group. In the season of 1890
I visited the islands of St. Paul and St. George in the months of July,
August, and September, and had ample and frequent opportunities of
observing the seal life as comi)ared with 1870. I was astonished at the
reduced numbers of seals and the extent of bare ground on the rook-
eries in 1890 as compared with that of 1870, and which in that year was
alive with seal life. In 1890 the North American Commercial Company
were unable to kill seals of suitable size to make their quota of 00,000
allowed by their lease, and, in my opinion, had they been permitted to
take 50,000 in 1891, they could not have secured that number if they
had killed every bachelor seal with a merchantable skin on both islands,
so great was the diminution in the number of animals found there.

I arrived with my command at St. Paul Island June 7, 1891 ; at that
date very few seals had arrived and but a small number had been killed
for fresh food. On the 12th of June, 1891, we were at St. George Island
and found a few seals had been taken there, also for food, the number
of seals arriving not being enough to warrant the killing of any gi^eat
number. During that year I was at and around both these islands
every month from and including June until the 1st day of December
(excepting October), and at no time were there as many seals in sight as
in 1890. I assert this from actual observation, and it is my opinion we
will find less this year; and should pelagic sealing in the North Pacific
and Bering Sea continue, it is only a question of a very few years when
seal in these seas, and especially at the seal islands, will be a thing of
the past, for they are being rapidly destroyed by the killing of females
in the open sea.

As to the percentage of seals lost in pelagic sealing where the use of
firearms is em])loyed, I am not able to state of my own observation,
but from conversations with those engaged in the business I am of the
opinion that the number secured is small compared with those lost in
attempts to secure them. No mention was ever made of any unusual
number of dead pups upon the rookeries having been noticed at any
time prior to my visit in 1870, but when I again visited the islands in
1890 I found it a subject of much solicitude by those interested in the

ALASKA ir^DUSTRIES. 100

perpetuation, and in 1891 it had assumed such proportions as to cause
serious alarm. The natives making the drives first discovered this
trouble, then special ageuts took uote, and later on I think almost every-
one who was allowed to visit the rookeries could not close their eyes or
nostrils to the great numbers of dead pups to be seen on all sides.
In company with Special Agent Murray, Captain Hooper, and Engineer
Brerton, of the Corwin, 1 visited the Keef and Garbotch rookeries, St.
Paul Island, in August, 1891, and saw one of the most pitiable sights
that I have ever witnessed. Thousands of dead and dying pups were
scattered over the rookeries, while the shores were lined with emaciated,
hungry little fellows, with their eyes turned toward the sea uttering
Xdaintive cries for their mothers, which were destined never to return.
Numbers of them were opened, their stomachs examined, and the fact
revealed that starvation was the cause of death, no organic disease
being apparent.

The greatest number of seals taken by hunters in 1891 was to the
westward and northwestward of St. Paul Island, and the largest num-
ber of dead pups were found that year in rookeries situated on the
western side of the island. This fact alone goes a great way, in my
opinion, to confirm the theory that the loss of the mothers was the
cause of mortality among the young.

After the mother seals have given birth to their young on the islands
they go to the water to feed and bathe, and I have observed them not
only around the islands, but from 80 to 100 miles out at sea.

In difl'erent years the feeding grounds or the location where the greater
number of seals are taken by poachers seem to differ; in other words,
the seals frequently change feeding grounds. For instance, in 1887, the
greatest number of seals were taken by poachers between Unamak,
Akutan Passes, and the seal islands, and to the south westward and east-
ward, in many cases from 50 to 150 miles distant from the seal islands.
In the season of 1890 to the southward and westward, also to north-
west and northeast of the islands, showing that the seals had been scat-
tered. The season of 1891 the greatest number were taken to northward
or westward of St. Paul, and at various distances, fiom 25 to 150 miles
away.

On my cruise to St. Matthews and Unamak Island we did not discover
any seal within 25 or 30 miles of those islands, nor do I know of or believe
that the seals haul out upon land in any of the American waters of
Bering Sea except at the Pribilof Islands. If the seal life is to be
preserved for commercial purposes the seals must be protected, not
only in the Bering Sea, but in the waters along the Pacific Coast from
the Aleutian Passes to the Columbia Eiver.

Wash. C. Coulson,
Captain, United States Revenue Marine.

Deposition of Thomas F. Morgan, afienf of lessees of Pribilof and

Commander islands.

State of Connecticut,

JSfew London County, ss:
Thomas F. Morgan, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am the
person described in and who verified two certain affidavits on the 5tb
day of April, 1892, before Sevellon A. Brown, notary public, in rela-
tion to the habits, management, etc., of the fur seals.

110 ALASKA rN'DTTRTPTF,'^

The harems on the Pribilof Islands have at all times varied very
much in size. In the years when I was on the islands, between 1874
and 1887, it was always possible to find individual harems with 50 or
perhaps 80 females, while others would ouly have 4 or 5 females, not-
withstanding' the average harem would perhaps contain from 15 to 30
females. Large harems, though in smaller numbers, continued to exist
even in the years 1885 and 1887, when, as I have already stated in a
former affidavit, the number of females began to decrease.

While I was on the islands there was no such thing known as dis-
turbing breeders or stampeding the rookeries. The herd is driven
from the rookery, is kept away from filth as much as possible, for the
reason that the skins which are taken, if clean, take salt better, cure
in better condition, and bring better prices. Filth, grease, and oil
make skins come out of kench flat, and such skins are classed as low
when sold. Mud sj)oils the salt for quick work, so the cleaner the skins
are, the better. As the rejected seals are only to be got away from the
killing ground, the quickest way to the sea is the route chosen, and
they often ipass over decaying carcasses, but not of necessity, as they
are allowed to choose their own gait and route to the sea. They do not
seem to object to this any more than to the filth caused by the excre-
ment and decaying placentas on the breeding grounds.

I was on the Commander Islands in 1891 as agent of the Eussian
Seal 8kin Company. I never heard anyone state that barren females (I
mean females withojit young) were noticed there, and I don't believe
that any person whose opinion would be entitled to consideration noticed
this fact. It soon would have become a matter of common knowledge
on the islands if there had been any number of adult females without
young. The only sure way to determine whether an adult female is
barren is to examine her as to whether she is giving milk or is dry. As
the young seals do not follow the mother continuously, the fact of seeing
females without pups with them does not prove that they have not pups
somewhere on the breeding grounds, and no person having any knowl
edge of rookery life could draw such an inference, and claim that the
females were therefore barren.

While on the Pribilof Islands I don't know that I ever saw a sterile
female seal. It is impossible to recognize the same seal from year to
year unless, as in the case of a few old bulls which have large scars, a
torn lip, a white blind eye, the nose split, or some unnatural mark.
And, although I have seen old females without milk, very fat, associat-
ing with the young males, I could not say that they had not been fertil-
ized, and, not having an offspring to care for, were associating with the
males until the season arrived for the herd to leave. At one time the
suggestion was made that it would be a good plan to kill these females.
I denied that it was possible for anyone to know that they would not
bear young, and that if the killing of one female was authorized it
would open the way to do great injury to the herd. For, when it
became desirable to market a large number of skins, the clubber would
see large numbers of females unfit for breeding.

It is difficult to discover fresh excrement on the rookeries, for the
seals' flippers soon wipe out the evidence looked for. Still I have often
seen it. In color it is orange, light yellow to almost colorless, and in
consistency soft, almost liquid. At times it is very offensive, and at
others nearly odorless. But the soil of the breeding ground is impreg-
nated with it, which gives to the rookery a most disagreeable odor that
is increased by the decaying placentas.

X am quoted by the British commissioners (section 825 of their report)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 111

to show that in 1884 au irregularity in the habits of the seals took place
at the Pribilof Islands. This irregularity consisted in the following : In
previous years the seals that arrived in June furnished nearly all 8-pound
skins and over; very few of these seals were let go or rejected, and when
any were rejected it was principally because they were too large. But
this year the 2-year-old seals commenced to laud much earlier, and the
run of large half bulls arrived in more scattered bunches, just as if the
herd had been turned back in places and hurried ahead in others, thus
hurrying the smaller seals, so that they came on with the head of the
flock, and turning back some of thelarge seals which formerly hadarrived
later. No irregularity was observed in the habits of the female seals.

Thomas F. Morgan.

Deposition of James G. Swan, former iyispector of customs, employee of
Indian Bureau and of Fish Commission of United States.

State of Washington,

Jefferson County, ss :

James G-. Swan, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 74
years old, a resident of Port Townsend, Wash., and by occupation a
lawyer. I am also United States commissioner, Hawaiian consul,
commissioner for the State of Oregon, and a notary public. I came to
the Pacific Coast in 1850 and to Port Townsend in 1859, where I have
since held my residence the greater part of the time to the present
date. From 1862 to 1866 I was employed in the Indian Bureau of the
Interior Department and stationed at ISTeah Bay, and again from 1878
to 1881 1 was inspector of customs at the same place. In 1883 I also
visited there in the employ of the Fish Commissioner.

In 1880, at the request of the late Professor Baird, of the Smithson-
ian Institute at Washington, I made a careful study of the habits of
the fur seal {Callorliinus ursinus) found in the vicinity of Cape Flattery
and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the result of my observation is
embodied in the Tenth United States Census (report of United States
Fish and Fisheries, sec. 5, vol. 2, p. 293. Fur seal of Cape Flattery
and Vicinity) and in the report of the United States Fish Commission.
(Bulletin United States Fish Commission, vol. 3, pp. 201-207.)

The observations upon which these reports are based were mostly
confined to the immediate vicinity of Cape Flattery, and I had at that
time no opi)ortunity for extended inquiry as to the pelngic habits of
the animals. The natural history of the seal herd of the Pribilof Islands,
when upon or in the immediate vicinity of the land, had been minutely,
and, I have no doubt, accurately, described by H. W. Elliott in his mono-
graph published in 1875. There had been up to that date no series of
observations nor good evidence on which to base the hypothesis that
the Pribilof herd and the large mass of seals annually seen on the lati-
tude of Cape Flattery were identical. On the contrary, there seemed
then to be many evidences that some other rookeries than those of the
Pribilof Islands were located at some point on the Oregon, Washington,
or British Columbia coast. Young seals were occasionally found by
the Indians upon or near the beaches, and pregnant females were often
captured by them so heavy with pup, and apparently so near their full
term of pregnancy, as to warrant the belief that the young must be
either born in the water upon bunches of kelp or upon the rocks and
beaches on or near the coast. Young seals were often brought to the

^ 1 2 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Indian villages, and the testimony of both Indian and white hunters at
that time pointed strongly to the conclusion that the breeding grounds
of the animals with which we were familiar could not be far distant. I
have myself seen the black pups in the water when they appeared to be
but a few weeks old, and others have assured me that a considerable
number were found from time to time swimming with their mothers.
This phenomenon being of constant occurrence year after year, and in the
absence of a wider range of observations, we were naturally confirmed
by them in the conclusion to which I have above referred.

In recent years ithas been demonstrated by the large catches obtained
oft' the coast by pelagic hunters, and by the testimony of a great num-
ber of peojjle whose attention has been directed to the matter, that the
herd of seals, of which we saw only a very limited proportion from the
Neah Bay station, is a very large one; and it now seems beyond a doubt
that the comparatively few authentic cases in which pups were seen
upon or in the vicinity of the coast were anomalous, for it is reasonable
to suppose that in so large a mass of pregnant females an occasional
one would be prematurely overtaken by the pains of the parturition,
and that the oft'spring brought forth under favorable conditions, as
upon a bunch of kelp or some rock, should survive at least a few days
and be brought in and kept by the Indians, as I have occasionally seen
them. I have also seen at the villages late in the season, in the hands
of the Indian boys, live pups which had been recently removed from
their speared mothers, and whose vitality was such that they continued
to live for several days; but it is a well-known fact that young mam-
malia may be born several days, or possibly even a month or two,
before full term and still survive. It is possible, too, that as a source
of error the hunters may have mistaken gray pups whose coats had
been darkened by wetting, or those a few mouths old, born the prece-
ding summer, for the so-called black pups.

At the ISTeah Bay station large bull seals are seldom seen, aud the
major part of those killed are pregnant females, having in them small
fetuses early in the season — sa}' about January or February — aud later
full-grown young. From all the evidence I am able to gather, I believe
the different classes of seals remain apart when upon the British Colum-
bia coast, and old bulls and immature young males being chieiiy found
at a considerable distance from the land, while the pregnant females
and young males travel close along the shore, and are frequently seen
in limited numbers in the straits and inlets.

In the light of investigation and research had since the date of my
observations, the most of which were made more than ten years ago, I
am satisfied that the mass of the herd from which the British Columbia
or Victoria catch is obtained are born neither in the water nor upon the
land in the vicinity where they are caught, and it appears most probable
fiom the routes upon which they are followed and the location in which
they are found by pelagic hunters between March and August that
they originate in, migrate from, and annually return to Bering Sea.

It has l)een stated in print that I said I had seen pups born on the
kelp in the water. This is a gross misrepresentation. I merely said
that it had been reported to me that such birth had been witnessed,
and quoted as my authority Capt. E. H. McAlmond, of the schooner
Chaminon (p. 203, vol. 1, of United States Fish Commission's report).

Pelagic sealing was carried on by the Indians at Neah Bay long
before I first went among them, but they were then, and until within a
few years, provided oidy with their canoes, spears, and other native
implements, constituting the necessary outfit for an aboriginal seal

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 113

hunter. Tlie dest ruction wrought by them upon the seal herd was,
com])ared with the vast number of which it was composed, very slight,
and di<l little harm to anyone, while the result to tlie Indians was then
and Is still of great importance. Now pelagic seal hunting is carried
on in quite a different manner. Numerous expeditions are fitted out in
well-equipped vessels, some of them under both steam and sail, manned
by whites and Indians, and armed with guns and spears. I am
informed and believe that the herd has greatly decreased within the
last two or three years, and that if pelagic sealing is not soon checked
the herd will be driven hither and thither and so decimated as to render
it commercially valueless. This would be a great wrong to the Indians,
who are dependent to a great measure upon the seals for a livelihood,
as well as needless, wanton waste, which civilized nations ought not to
permit. It can not be denied that the natives, who have utilized the
seal fisheries adjacent to their settlements from their earliest history
and profited by them, deserve some consideration. I believe that in
order to preserve the rookeries upon the islands and build them up to
their former productiveness it is only necessary to restrict pelagic seal-
ing to the coast south of 54° 40' and confine it to the use of the primi-
tive methods formerly employed by the natives.

James G, Swan.

Deposition of Joseph StanJey-Brown, Treasury agent.

District of Columbia,

City of Washington^ ss :

Joseph Stanley-Brown, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 37
years of age; am a citizen of the United States; reside at Mentor,
Ohio, and am by profession a geologist.

I spent the entire season of 1891 upon the Pribilof Islands, and during
the summer of 1892 again visited them and spent the jieriod between
June 9 and August 14 upon the islands of St. Paul and St. George in
continuation of my investigations concerning seal life. This season, in
addition to the continuous general examination of all the rookeries and
the plottings of the breeding-ground areas upon charts, certain special
stations were selected at i>oints within easy reach of the village and
daily visits made thereto. This method of work gave me an excellent
opportunity to make comparisons between the breeding areas of 1891
and those of 1892.

As the result of my observations during the past season, it is my
opinion that there was no increase among the females — the producing
class — but on the contrary that there was a perceptible falling off.
This decrease was the more noticeable at points on the rookeries where
the smaller groups of breeding seals are to be found.

There was so little driving during the season of 1892 that an excellent
opportunity was given to observe life upon the hauling grounds, several
of which were not disturbed during the entire season. There seemed
to be a slight increase of the young bachelor seals, although this may
have been more apparent than real from the fact that being unmolested
they accumulated in large bands.

It is quite certain that the normal habit of the holluschickie is to
remain most of their time upon shore, and if left to themselves would
S])end more time there than in the water. I have kept a close daily
watch upon groups of young males, the members of which did not go
into the water for a week or ten days at a time.
H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 8

114 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Any statement to the effect that the occasional occurrence of large
harems indicates a decrease in the available number of virile males, and
hence deterioration of the rookeries, should be received with great
caution if not entirely ignored. The bulls play only a secondary part in
the formation of harems. It is tlie cow which takes the initiative. She
is in the water beyond the reach or control of the male and can select
her own point of landing. Her manner on coming ashore is readily
distinguished from that of the young males which continuously play
along the sea margin of the breeding grounds. She comes out of the
water, carefully noses or smells the rocks here or there like a dog, and
then makes her way to the bull of her own selecting. In this incipient
stage of her career on shore there is but little interference on the part
of the male, but once well away from the water and near the bull slie
has chosen, he approaches her, manifests his pleasure, and greetings are
exchanged. She then joins the other cows and as soon as dry lies down
and goes comfortably to sleep. I have seen this selective power exer-
cised repeatedly, and the result is that one bull will be especially favored
while those within 15 or 20 feet will be ignored.

The size of the harems, therefore, has of itself but little to do with
the question of lack of virile males, but indicates only the selective
power of the females. If 100 bulls represented the necessary supply of
virile males we might, hy reason of this fact, find 10 bulls with very
large harems, 10 with still less, 50 with a reasonable number, 20 with a
few, and 10 with none. An onlooker would not, therefore, be justified
LQ stating that by reason of these few large harems there is a lack of
virile males.

In the very nature of things it seems impossible that any method
other than this one of selection on the part of the female could ever
have existed.

Large harems are frequently due to topographic conditions, the con-
figuration of the land being such that the females can only reach the
breeding grounds" through narrow passageways between the rocks, and
around the terminations of which they collect.

Harems often coalesce; tlien boundaries become indefinite, and wlien
their size and position make them too large for control, cows pass to the
rear and are appropriated by the bulls there.

Wheu once the female is located, the bull exercises rigid control and
permits no leaving of the lands until she has been served. I never saw
a harem so large that the vigilance of the bull in this respect was ever
relaxed. His consorts may escape to another harem, but they are never
permitted to go to sea until an inspection convinces the bull that they are
entitled to do so. Xo intelh'gent observer would be so bold as to assert
that during the season of 1892 there was not an abundance of males of
complete virility, despite the occurrence of occasional large harems.
The accompanying photographs' show that even at the height of the sea-
son, and just previous to the disintegration of the breeding grounds,
there were unsupplied with cows old mnles which had taken their stand
and from which I was unable to drive them with stones.

I should have been extremely glad to have been able to note a great
many more of these large harems, but the work of the pelagic hunter
among the females has been so effective that the average size of the
harems is growing smaller and smaller, while the number of the idle
bulls is steadily increasing. The rookeries of the Pribilof Islands will
never be destroyed by superabundance of large harems.

' Not furnished.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 115

I arrived on the islands this year a few days after the coming of the
first cows, and by selecting a small harem composed of seals, the arrival
of which I have seen, and giving it daily observation, I was able to sat-
isfy myself that females begin to go into the water from fourteen to
seventeen days after first landing. On first entering the sea they make
a straight line for the outer waters, and as far as the eye can follow them
they seem still to be traveling. The first cows to arrive are the first to
depart in search of food, and by the first week in July the cows are
coming and going with such frequency as to be readily seen at any
time. The accompanying photograph^ (taken on July 8, 1892, from the
same position but one day earlier than the one of last year which faces
page 13 of volume 2, of the case) shows pups, the mothers of which
are at sea.

The fact that the coat of the cow assumes from residence on the shore
a rusty or sunburned aspect gives a ready means of observing her
movements. The rustiness is quickly lost by life in the sea.

The movements of females can also to a certain extent be well observed
by their appearance after giving birth to their pups — after fasting and
after gorging themselves with food. After the birth of the pup, and
after remaining upon the rookeries even for a few days when the period
of coming from and going into the water has been entered upon, the
mother has a very decidedly gaunt appearance, in strong contrast to
the plumpness of pregnancy or full feeding. After feeding at sea they
come ashore again well rounded up. So marked is this that I have
been repeatedly misled by mothers in such a condition, mistaking them
for pregnant cows, and have discovered my error by seeing her call
her pup and suckle it. If I had any doubt in my mind as to cows feed-
ing at sea it was dispelled by an examination of three cows I shot at
Northeast Point on July 25, 1892. Two "sunburnt" cows were first
killed, and their stomachs were found to be empty. Another was shot
just as she came ashore and her stomach was gorged with half digested
codfish, which was identified by Mr. Townsend, an expert of the United
States Fish Commission. A dissection was made of this seal, and the
udder — which extends, as a broad, thick sheet, thinning out toward
the edges, over the entire abdominal portion of the cow and well up
to the fore flippers — was so charged with milk that on removing the skin
the milk freely flowed out in all directions, and jjrevious to skinning it
was possible with but little effort to extract a sufiflcient amount to enable
me to determine its taste and consistency. A large supply of food is
necessary to furnish such an abundant amount of milk. I have no
doubt that a well-developed mother seal could yield between a pint and
a quart of milk in the first twenty-four hours after landing from a feed-
ing expedition, and with such rich fountains to draw upon it is no won-
der that the voracious pups increase during their residence upon the
island not less than four times their weight at birth. And it is equally
certain that without such a constant supply of nourishment they could
not make such a rapid growth as they do.

The presence of excrementitious matter upon the breeding rookeries
is recognized both by sight and smell. It is of a yellowish color, and
though much of it is excreted, it is of such a liquid consistency that it
is quickly rubbed into and mingled with the soil, and thereafter its
existence can only be noticed through the discoloration of the soil and
the offensive odor. The latter is readily detected at a distance of miles,
when the wind is completely impregnated with it. The odor bears no

' Not furnished.

116 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

resemblance to that which arises from the bodies of a large number of
assembled animals.

The quantity of excrementitious matter present is influenced by the
nature of their diet, which, being lish, is largely assimilated, while in
their coming and going much of it may be deposited in the water, to
say nothing of drenching from rain, to which the rookeries (many of
which are solid rock; are subjected.

On the hauling grounds, on the other hand, it is almost impossible to
detect such matter, either through its presence, the appearance of the
soil, or its odor. This is a well-known fact to anyone who has even
casually inspected such hauling grounds as Middle Hill, parts of Za-
padnie, western end of English Bay, western end of North Eookery,
Starry Arteel, Great East Eookery, and others.

This difference between the breeding grounds and the true hauling
grounds is explained by the fact that the former are occupied by nurs-
ing females, which are constantly feeding, while the latter are frequented
chiefly by young males, which take but little food during the summer.
This abstention from food on their part is further indicated by the fact
that, with exceptions now and then observed on the killing grounds,
they grow thinner and thinner as the season advances.

The pup at birth is received by the mother with an affectionate regard
that is unmistakable; a sound not unlike that made by an ewe, but not
so loud, can be heard, and care is exercised by the mother for the pup's
protection. I have repeatedly seen a mother, when her ofi'spring was
still so young as to be helpless, remove it beyond the reach of the surf,
or gently lift it from a hole between the bowlders into wbich it had
fallen. I have seen them often i)lace the udder in the most available
position for the pup to suck, and move themselves sufficiently close for
it to be within easy reach. After an absence in the sea, the mother
invariably calls to her young repeatedly, and manifests pleasure on find-
ing it. Later on the pup is able to recognize its mother, and as the
female will suckle only her own pup the pleasure and contentment
which the meeting gives both is evident to the most careless observer.

Dead pups were as conspicuous in their infrequency in 1892 as by
their numerousness in 1891. In no instance was there to be noted an
unusual number of dead pups, except on the breeding grounds of
Tolstoi, the position, character, and size of which gave prominence to
the carcasses. Here the mortality, while in no way approaching that
of the previous season, was still beyond the normal, as indicated by the
deaths upon the other breeding grounds.

Any surreptitious killing of the mothers can not be charged with it,
for such killing either there or anywhere else on the island would have
become the gossip of the village and readily detected by the attempt to
divspose of the skins. There are no hauling grounds so close to the
breeding areas that the driving of the young males could cause conster-
nation among the females during the breeding season. Stampedes or
disturbances can not account for it, for not only are the breeding
grounds in this particular case of Tolstoi oue-iourth of a mile away
from the hauling grounds, namely, at Middle Hill (the nearest point to
that breeding ground from which seals were driven in 1891 and 1892),
but it would be practically impossible to stampede this breeding ground
by any disturbing cause save of such magnitude as to be the subject of
common knowledge on the islands, and I know that no cause for such a
commotion occurred.

Seals will stand a large amount of annoyance before leaving their
harems, or, indeed, being permitted to do so by the bulls, and the man

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 117

does not live who can stampede rookery bulls. No smoke of vessels or
presence of ships ever cause the stampede of an entire breeding ground.
Such things have been reported but no one has ever seen it, and it
would require persistent effort to accomplish such a result. I have had
cause to send natives on several occasions entirely across a rookery,
and no stampede ensued. I have thrown eggshells filled with blue
paint at female seals, for the purpose of marking them, until rocks and
seals were a mass of blue color, but with no disturbing effect. In the
prosecution of my investigations I have shot females with a noiseless
rifle upon a small detached breeding ground, have ciawled in and
dragged out the seals killed without causing the other mothers to recede
more than 20 feet, and in fifteen minutes thereafter the breeding grounds
presented their wonted appearance.

After two seasons' observation I unhesitatingly state that I do not
believe there has ever been breeding grounds stampeded in such a whole-
sale manner as to cause the death of pups. If such occurred in 1891
and 1 892 it is certainly extraordinary that only the starvelings met death.

The true explanation of the deaths upon Tolstoi this year is not
readily found, and must be sought in local causes other than those indi-
cated above, and I am confident that to none of those causes can be justly
attributed the dead pups of 1891 and 1892. The following explanation,
based upon my acquaintance with the facts, is offered in a tentative way :

A glance at the map will show that the location and topographic
('character of this rookery have no counterpart elsewhere on the island.
The rookeries upon which deaths are infrequent are those which are
narrow and upon the rear of which are precipitous bluff's that prevent
the wandering of pups backward. The larger part of Tolstoi, as will
be seen from the map, extends far back and has great lateral dimen-
sions. Much of it is composed of drifting sands and it has rather a
steep inclination down to the sea. The shore is an open one, and the
surf, either gentle or violent, is almost constantly present. As the time
for learning to swim approaches the pups find it easy to come down the
incline. They congregate in large numbers upon the sandy shore and
begin their swimming lessons. This is at a period when they are still
immature and not very strong. The buffeting of the waves exhausts
them and coming ashore they either wander off, or struggling a certain
distance up the incline, made more difficult of ascent by the loose sand
of which it is composed, lie down to rest and sleep, and are overlooked
by their mothers returning from the sea. I have seen mother seals go
up the entire incline seeking their pups.

I find nothing in the history of dead pups upon the island this year
which does not confirm my belief that the great mortality of the season
of 1891 was due to pelagic sealing in Bering Sea. Had it not been so,
there is no reason why the deaths in 1892 should not have been as
widely distributed as they were the previous year.

During the past summer particular care was taken to have the drives
conducted in the same manner as in previous years, in order that the
effect of driving upon the young males might be noted.

From June 10 (the day after my arrival) to the close of the season, on
August 9, there were eleven drives made, the longest one being from
Middle Hill, about 2 miles fi-om the village killing ground. With two
exceptions, no drives were made from the same hauling grounds except
at intervals of two weeks. As the killing this year was limited to
7,500, there could be but few seals taken each week, and this necessita-
ted turning back to the water, about 200 yards distant from the killing

118 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

gronncT,from 75 to 85 per cent of tliose driven up, and gave an excellent
opportunity to observe the effect of driving npon large bands of seals.
In driving it is true that if the weather is unfavorable a few may die
en route, or in anticipation of their death are clubbed, skinned, and
their pelts added to the quota. It is also true that sometimes there are
manifestations of weariness and exhaustion among the driven seals;
that driving causes some excitement; that occasionally smothering
occurs, and that there are other episodes happening on and about the
killing field which are necessarily incident to and must always form
part of the killing of seals on land, and which are likely to obscure the
judgment of the observer or be allowed to assume undue prominence in
his mind. But the chief question is the potency of these episodes as
destructive agents. To what extent do they occur and to what extent
do tbey effect the herd at large are the points to be fairly considered;
and their consideration must not be influenced by an exaggeration due
to the sensibilities of the observer. Care should be and is at all times
exercised to avoid needless waste; but after giving the greatest promi-
nence possible to the injurious methods which are alleged to have been
employed at different times since the American occupancy of the islands,
my observations lead me to believe that the loss of life from the causes
indicated above would be but a fraction of 1 ])er cent of the seals driven ;
and I also believe that it can not, with any show of justice, be made to
account for or play other than a very insignificant part in the diminution
of seal life. After my observations of two seasons I can not believe
that creatures which in their maturity jDOSsess sufficient vitality to live
for eighty or ninety days without food or water, and in which their fetal
life can be cut from the mother and still live for days, are as bachelor
seals injured in their virility or to any extent disabled physically by the
driving to which they are subjected on the Pribilof Islands.

Joseph Stanley-Brown.

DEAD PUPS.

Deposition of J. G. 8. AJcerh/, surgeon Uviited States Revenue Marine, and
resident surgeon on St. Paul Island.

State of California,

City and County of San Francisco, ss:

J. 0. S. Akerly, Ph. B., M. D., having been duly sworn, deposes and
says: I am a graduate of the University of California, 1882, and a
graduate of the Cooper Medical College, 1885. From June to August
18, 1891, I was surgeon on the revenue-marine steamer Corwin. From
August 18 to November 24, 1891, I was resident physician on St. Paul
Island, one of the Pribilof or seal islands. I am at present a practicing
physician at Oakland, Cal. During my stay on the islands I made fre-
quent visits to the different seal rookeries. One thing which attracted
my attention was the immense number of dead young seals; another
was the presence of quite a number of young seals on all the rookeries
in an emaciated and apparently very weak condition. I was requested
by the Government agent to examine some of the carcasses for the pur-
pose of determining the cause or causes of their death. I visited and
walked over all the rookeries. On all, dead seals were to be found in
immense numbers. Their number was more apparent on those rookeries
such as Tolstoi and Halfway Point, the water sides of which were on

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 119

smooth ground, and tlie eye could glide over patches of ground hun-
dreds of feet in extent which were thickly strewu with carcasses.

Where the water side of the rookeries, as at Northeast Point and the
Keef (south of the village), was on rocky ground, the immense num-
ber of dead was not so apparent, but a closer examination showed that
the dead were there in equally great number scattered among the rocks.
In some localities the ground was so thickly strewn with the dead that
one had to pick his way carefully in order to avoid stepping on the car-
casses. The great mass of dead in all cases was within a short dis-
tance of the water's edge. The j)atches of dead would commence at
the water's edge and stretch in a wide swath up into the rookery.
Amongst the immense masses of dead were seldom to be found the car-
casses of full-grown seals, but the carcasses were those of i^ups or
young seals boin that year. I can give no idea of the exact number of
dead, but I believe that they could only be numbered by the thousands
on each rookery. Along the water's edge, and scattered amongst the
dead, were quite a number of live pups, which were in an emaciated
condition. Many had hardly the strength to drag themselves out of
one's way, thus contrasting strongly, both in appearance and actions,
with the plump condition and active, aggressive conduct of the healthy
appearing pups.

The majority of the pups, like all healthy nursing animals, were plump
and fairly rolling in fat. I have watched the female seals draw up out of
the water, each pick out its pup from the hundreds of young seals sport-
ing near the water's edge, and with them scramble to a clear spot on the
rookery, and lying down give them suck. Although I saw pups nurs-
ing in a great many cases, yet I never saw one of the sickly looking
pups receiving attention from the female. They seemed to be deserted.

The cause of the great mortality among the seal pups seemed to me to
have ceased to act in great part before my first visits to the rookeries,
for subsequent visits did not show as great an increase in the masses
of dead as I would have expected had the causes still been in active
operation. It seemed to me that there were fewer sickly looking pups
at each subsequent visit. This grew to be more and more the case as
the season advanced. When 1 visited the rookeries for the purpose of
examining the dead bodies it was with extreme difficulty that carcasses
could be found fresh enough to permit of a satisfactory examination.
I examined a large number of carcasses. All showed an absence of
fatty tissue between the skin and muscular tissue. The omentum in
all cases was destitute of fat. These are the positions where fat is
usually present in all animals. Well-nourished young animals always
have a large amount of fat in these localities. The few carcasses which
were found in a fair state of preservation were examined more thor-
oughly. The stomachs were found empty and contracted, but pre-
sented no evidence of disease. The intestines were empty, save in a
few cases, where small amounts of fecal matter were found in the large
intestines. A careful examination of the intestines failed to discover
any evidence of disease. The heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys were in
a healthy condition.

Such is the evidence on which I have founded my opinion that the
cause of the great mortality during 1891 among the young seals on
St. Paul Island, Bering Sea, was caused by the deprivation of mothers'
milk. The result of my investigation is that there was great mortality
exclusively among nursing seals. Second, the cause of this mortality
seemed to have been abated pari passu with the abatement of sea seal-
ing. Third, the presence of emaciated, sickly looking pups which

120 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

were apparently deserted by their motLers. Fourth, the [)lmiip,
healtliy appearance of all the pups I saw nursing. Fifth, the emaciated
condition of the dead. Sixth, the absence of food in the stomachs
and their contracted condition. Seventh, the absence of digested food
in the intestines. Eighth, the absence of even fecal matter, save in
small amounts in a few cases. Ninth, the absence of structural
changes in the viscera or other parts of the bodies to account for the
death

J. C. S. Akerly, Ph. B., M. D.

Deposition of Henry W. FAliott.

City of Washington,

District of Columbia^ ss :

Henry W. Elliott, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a resi-
dent of Cleveland, Ohio, where I was born ; am 46 years of age, and
am a citizen of the United States.

1 first visited the Pribilof Islands in April, 1872, under the joint
appointment of the United States Treasury Department and of the
Sndthsonian Institution, and resided thereon until August, 1873. In
1874 I made an-other prolonged visit under the authority of a special
act of Congress. I visited the islands again briefly in 1876, and during
May, June, July, and August, under authority of a special act of Con-
gress, in 1890. During each visit I carefully studied the seal life on
these islands, and investigated the habits of the fur seals. In these
years I also visited the various islands in and around Bering Sea, the
leading ports and inhabited places on the mainland and islands of
Alaska in the Paciiic Ocean, as also the ports of British Columbia and
the United States; witnessed the methods of pelagic sealing, con-
versed with many pelagic seal hunters, shipmasters, and fur traders,
and sought in all possible ways to acquaint myself fully with seal life
and the taking of seals.

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF PRIBILOF ISLANDS,

The Pribilof Islands possess a peculiar climate. There are but two
seasons, winter and summer; the former begins with November and
ends with April, the mean temperature being 20° to 26° F. above zero;
summer brings only a slight elevation in the temperature, between 15°
or 20°, so that the mean temperature of that season is 40° to 46°.
With the opening of the summer, about the 1st of May, a cold, moist
fog settles down upon these islands, and is ever present until the latter
part of October. It is doubtless to this remarkably damp and sunless
atmosphere, together with the isolation of these islands, and the fact
that from their formation they are rapidly drained, that the seals seek
these islands to breed; in fact, it is necessary that such a sunless and
moist climate with a low temperature should exist for this species of
fur seal when on land, and it becomes highly important that they should
be so ])rotected as to make their chosen home as free from unnecessary
molestation as i)ossible. It is quite certain that the seal herd which
perennially frequents the Pribilof Islands has no other terrestrial haunt,
and now never lands, even temporarily, on any other terra firma in or
bounding the Pacific Ocean or Bering Sea.

When all the climatic, topographical, and other facts are considered,
which are so remarkably favorable to seal life on the Pribilof Islands,

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 121

and which, with the exception of the Commander Lsland8 of Russia,
can not be found anywhere else in the Northern Pacilic or Bering Sea,
the reason^are plain why these islands have been selected by the fur
seals for their breeding: resorts, since reproduction of their kind can
not be eftected in the sea.

My personal observation and study of seal life during the past
twenty years have led me to the certain conclusion that all the herd of
fur seals {Gallorhinus ursinus) which now make their annual migration
from and back to the Pribilof Islands (described hereafter) were all
born iu June and July (annually) upon the Pribilof Islands, pass the
first four mouths of their existence on these islands, nursing at irregu-
lar intervals, learning to swim, and in shedding their fetal coats of
black hair for their seagoing jackets of hair and fur, leave in Novem-
ber, and annually return there to spend from four to six months of each
year. In my published observations of 1872 and 1874 I thought it
l)0ssible there might be some commingling of the Pribilof seals with
the seal herd of the Russian Islands, but from my subsequent study of
their migrations and of the varietal differences in the herds in the two
localities, it is now very clear to me that they never mingle on the
islands, each herd keeping to its own side of the ocean and annually
resorting to its own fixed breeding grounds.

ARRIVAL OF THE BULLS.

Between the 1st and 5th of May a few of the adult males (bulls) may
be found upon the breeding grounds on the Pribilof Islands, but many
of them maybe seen swimming a short distance from the shore for sev-
eral days before landing. The method of landing is to come collectively
to these rookeries which they occupied the former season, but whether
a bull always takes up the same position or strives to do so I was unable
to gather sufficient data to determine, my opinion being to the contrary.
After landing, the bulls fight furiously for positions upon the rookeries,
the place of advantage being nearest the sea.

FASTING ON THE ROOKERIES.

All the bulls, from the time they have established themselves upon
the breeding grounds, do not leave them for a single instant, night or
day, nor do they until the end of the breeding season, which closes
some time between the 1st and 10th of August as a rule. The bulls
therefore for the space of three or four months abstain entirely from
food of any kind or water. When they do return to the water they are
greatly emaciated and lack life and activity. But the females, directly
to the contrary, feed at frequent intervals during the suckling period,
and at the end of the season are as sleek and fat as when they first
hauled out.

ARRIVAL OF THE COWS.

The cows, or females, begin to come up from the sea during the fore
part of June, and after continual battles between the rival bulls are
finally settled upon the rookeries. All the females of 2 years of age or
older "haul up" on the breeding rookeries, whether they are pregnant
or not, and during the period from June until the middle of August
they may be found coming and going almost continuously to and from
the rookeries, except a few barren cows, which I will mention here-
after. The pregnant cows land upon the islands from instinctive knowl-
edge that their period of gestation, which is about twelve months,

122 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

lacking only a few days, has come to an end. As the pups (the young
sealsj can not be born in the water, tlie female's iustiuct causes her to
seek the land, upon which her young- is brought forth, sometimes in a
few hours, but usually in a day or two, after landing.

AGE OF SEALS.

The bulls on the rookeries are at least 6 years of age, that being about
tbe time when they attain their growth, the age of puberty being
probably about 5 years. The remainder of the male seals, being those
younger and less powerful, called "bachelors," 1 will refer to later. The
cows probably reach their growth between 4 and 5 years, but give birth
to their first pup when 3, so that cows 2 years old are found upon the
breeding grounds; they are the nubiles.

ORGANIZATION OF THE ROOKEKIES.

As the cows haul up on the shores they are met by the bulls, who
coax and urge them toward their own position on the rookeries. Dur-
ing this process the most bitter fights occurred between the bulls for
possession of the cows in 1872-1874; those nearest the water being the
most advantageously located, obtained the greatest number for their
harems, sometimes having as many as 40 or 50 cows in their possession,
while those farther inland could obtain sometimes only 2 or 3; it was
very difScult to fix the average number of cows to a harem in 1872-
1874, but I estimated it at about 15 or 20,

PELAGIC COITION IMPOSSIBLE.

In the act of coition on the breeding rookeries I have noticed the fact
that no effective coition took j)lace until the cow was brought up to or
laid against an inequality of the rookery or fragment of tbe rock; that,
in spite of the bulk of the male being so great and resting upon the
female as she lies upon her belly, the orgasms are so rapid and violent
that she is shoved forward unless some obstruction holds her in place.
This fact is, 1 believe, sufficient to satisfy anyone who carefully consid-
ers the matter that it is a physical impossibility for these seals to copu-
late in the water. In my opinion there is no conceivable position in
which effectual coition can take place in the water. I also observed
that the period of connection in the early part of the season lasted from
eight to fourteen minutes, and in the latter part, when the bull was not
as vigorous, from four to six minutes.

THE PUPS.

Immediately after birth the seal pup begins to move about and to
nurse, which it often does to gorging itself. It weighs but 3 or 4 pounds
when born and is only about 12 inches long. The female after bringing
forth her young goes frequently to and from the water, to feed and
bathe. On returning from the sea she will recognize the cry of her
young though ten thousand pups are bleating at once, and will imme-
diately go to it. The pups themselves do not recognize their own
mothers — a fact I ascertained by careful observation. The mother,
however, will not permit any pup but her own to suckle, and will fight
oft" any which attempt it.

YOUNG SEALS LEARNING TO SWIM.

The pup when born < an not swim. If he is thrown a rod or two into
the water, his head, which is heavy, will immediately sink, and his y>os-
t^'rior parts rise to the surface. Suffocation is only a matter of a few

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 123

minutes. Until he is almost six weeks old a pup can not live in the
water. He then begins to try the water, never going intentionally
beyond his depth ; soon he becomes bolder and strikes out, using at first
only his flippers; then he grows more and more expert, until finally the
sea alongshore is his frequent abiding place. The young seal, there-
fore, up to the time it learns to swim, is a land animal — in no way a
full-fledged amphibian; and it requires four months of suckling by its
mother on the laud before it becomes able to shift for itself and iB
abandoned by its parents.

BARREX FEMALES.

Whenever a female ceases to breed or is barren she hauls up with
the bachelors, and no longer goes on the breeding grounds; she, how-
ever, can be easily distinguished, and whenever one became mixed in
a drive the natives pointed her out to me in 1872-1874. The whole
number of barren cows was then very inconsiderable.

UNATTACHED MAXES.

Behind the harems there were always a number of idle and vigorous
bulls in 1872-1874, who were unable to obtain any consorts, but they had
to do severe battle to maintain their position at all.

DISORGANIZATION OF THE ROOKERIES.

Between the 20th of July, when the rutting season closes, and the 5tli
or 8th of August, the haiems have changed from their methodical com-
pact disposition on the rookeries. The old bulls begin to leave; the
pu])s are gathered into pods or groups. The cows, pups, and idle bulls
before mentioned now take possession of the rookeries in a disordered
manner, together with a large contingent of the bachelor seals, who have
not thus far been permitted to land on the breeding grounds by the other
males. By the middle of August three-fourths of the cows spend the
greater part of their time in the water, only coming on shore at irregular
intervals to nurse their young. The food of the fur seals is mainly fish,
squids and crustaceans, and mothers, while nursing their young, I am
satisfied, go great distances in Bering Sea for this food — 50, 100, and even
200 miles away from the Pribilof Islands for that subsistence.

SWIMMING OF SEALS.

I am unable to state positively how rapidly a seal can swim, but I
have seen squads of young bachelors follow the revenue cutter, Reli-
ance, upon which I was, swimming alongside and around the vessel for
hours, when she was moving at the rate of 14 knots an hour. My opinion
is that the bachelors and those cows which are not heavy with pups can
travel through the water from 18 to 20 miles an hour for many consecu-
tive hours without pausing to rest.

HOLLUSCHICKIE, OR BACHELOR SEALS.

The male fur seals under the age of 6 years are not allowed to land
upon the breeding grounds by the older and stronger males, and so are
compelled to herd by themselves. These seals are called holluschickie
or bachelors, and the places which they occupy on land are called haul-
ing grounds, in contradistinction to the breeding rookeries. It is from
this class of seals that the killable seals are selected.

124 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

LOCATING THE HAULING GROUNDS.

The hauling grounds are located on the low, free beaches not occu-
pied by the breetling grounds, or else inland behind the harems. In
;he latter case, lanes are left between the harems by the old bulls for
.he bachelors to pass to and from the sea. In 1872 I noticed one of
these lanes on the Polavina rookery and the one at Tolstoi and the
:wo at the Reef rookery, but when I returned in 1874 the lanes had
3een entirely closed up. But the other locations on unoccupied beaches
ire the most favored hauling grounds. The bachelors when on land
can be readily separated into their several classes as to age by the
color of their coats and sizes.

DRIVING THE SEALS TO THE KILLING GROUNDS.

Only the bachelor seals of from 2 to 5 years of age have been killed
by the lessees of the islands. No female has been or is allowed to be
taken; a few have been killed by accident. A number of seals are
driven from the hauling grounds to the killing grounds after being
separated from the rest by the natives. They can be driven safely at
the speed of half a mile an hour, providing the weather is reasonably
wet and cold. On arriving at the killing grounds they are killed with
clubs and their skins removed. During my visit to the islands, in 1890,
I was led to the conclusion that some unnecessary loss of life had been
occasioned by excessive driving, and that the methods of culling the
herd must be abolished; but this loss, which is bad enough, bears no
comparison in its injurious effect upon the herd to that loss by reason
of indiscriminate slaughter which is inflicted upon the fur-seal herd
unchecked by pelagic hunting. Of this I will speak later. Besides,
the injurious effect of excessive driving can be easily corrected. It
was stopped in 1890, and has been still further restricted since on the
islands.

WEIGHT AND SIZE OF SEALS.

A bull when full grown weighs between 400 and 500 pounds, some-
times even 600, and measures from 6 to 7 feet in length. The female
weighs from 70 to 120 pounds, and measures 4 to 4^ feet in length.
The bachelors, over 1 year and up to 5 years old, weigh from 50 to 200
pounds, and are from 4 to 5 J or 6 feet in length.

DEPARTURE OF THE" SEALS.

About the 1st of November the great mass of the cows and bachelors
begin to de))art, and the pups following from the islands, going south-
ward, the old bulls having nearly all preceded them in September and
October. Some, however, remain as long as the ice and snow will per-
mit, and when the winters are mild and little ice is about the islands,
which occasionally occurs, fur seals are seen there until late in January
in small numbers, a few hundreds at the most.

THE MIGRATION OF THE PRIBILOF SEAL HERD.

To this, my affidavit, I append a track chart^ of the path traveled by
the Pribilof fur-seal herd in the North Pacific Ocean from the time it
leaves the seal islands and Bering Sea in the late autumn until it
reenters Bering Sea in June or 4th to 10th of July following. From
records kept at Unalaska and Umnak for the last eighty years, and
from other information, 1 believe it to be a fact, well settled, that the

•"Not furnished."

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 125

fur seals regularly pass out from the waters of Bering Sea into the
North Pacific by the middle or end of November as a body; that these
animals do not turn to the eastward and up by the peninsular ajid
Kadiak coast, but keep directly south till lost to view.

From ship captains who have sailed during the last twenty years
between San Francisco and Paget Sound, I have learned that while
making out from San Francisco from the Sound, a long westerly reach,
they have seen large numbers of far seals 800 or more miles at sea in
January or late December moving toward the California Coast. Early
in January the first stragglers begin to appear oif the California Coast
and by the middle of February the main body of the herd arrives
simultaneously off between Santa Barbara and Cape Mendocino. From
this point the progress of the herd northward is indicated on the chart
hereto attached.^ The fact of this annual migration of the Pribilof fur-
seal herd and the route thereof is stated from knowledge derived from
my own study in the field, and from the testimony of those traders and
mariners who responded to my inquiries at Unalaska, IJmak, Sannak,
Belcovskie, Kadiak, ISTuchek, Yakutat, Sitka, Fort Simpson, Victoria,
Port Town send, and Astoria.

THE HERD VISIT ONLY THE PLACE OF THEIR BIRTH.

From all the facts that have come to my knowledge in relation to the
annual migration of the fur seal herd, and also from information care-
fully gathered, I am convinced and believe that the Pribilof herd of fur
seals now never land upon any other coast or islands save the Pribi-
lof group, the land of their birth. At no time along the coast does thd
herd approach nearer than gunshot of the shore, and is often 100 to 200
miles distant therefrom.

GROWTH OF PELAGIC SEALING.

When I first visited Alaskan waters in 1865-66, and again in 1872,
pelagic sealing was almost unknown, except by Indians in canoes along
the North Pacific Coast and the catch was small, from 5,000 to 10,000
annually. In 1885 it began to assume larger proportions, for white men
then embarked, and in 1886 the number of vessels engaged with white
crews in pelagic sealing was 17; the number in 1890 was 42, and in 1891,
86 known craft; and probably 10 or 12 more clearing for " whaling and
trading," where, in fact, they intended to seal.

The distinctive effects of open-water killing on the seal herd may be
better understood by examining the manner in which i)elagic sealing is
now carried on.

MANNER OF PELAGIC SEALING.

A sealing schooner is seldom over 80 or under 40 tons measurement,
employing 15 or 20 men. The vessel sails well into the track of the
migrating herd of fur seals. Each boat, to the number of 7 or 8, is
manned with two men, one of whom rows; the other sits in the bow
with his shotgun or rifle and gaff-pole. The boat also contains a small
keg of water, some provisions, ammunition locker, skinning knives, and
an extra pair of oars and sail. These boats are let down over the side
of the vessel, and row out one after the other to the windward, taking
up positions just so far from each other as to be in hail of the one next
to them toward the schooner; in this way they can cover 6, 7, or 8
miles, and the furthermost may be out of sight of the schooner.

> "Not furnished."

126 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

When the boats have taken their position the oarsman just keeps the
boat's nose to the wind, and the hunter keeps a lookout for seals.

A fur seal, when discovered by the hunter in .the open ocean, is either
sleeping or feeding, and so the onlj'- classification by these hunters is
"feeders" or *' sleepers." It is an absolute impossibility for the hunter
to determine the sex or the age of any fur seal when in the water, until
it is dragged into the boat.

In swimming the seal is always submerged several feet below the sur-
face. The seal also devours its food beneath the water. It is, however,
compelled to come up every three, five, or fifteen minutes to breathe,
rising head and shoulders above the water for a second or two. If the
seal rises very near the hunter's boat it will dive again too quickly to
be shot at, but if it raises 30, 50 or 100 yards from the boat, it will pause
a moment — long enough for the hunter to shoot at it.

If the seal is not hit or is wounded it at once dives and can never be
secured ; if it is killed by the shot it sinks, and unless the boat is moved
up in a minute or two to the spot where the animal sank the carcass will
be invisible from the surface. If, however, the seal happens to be
wounded so as to be stunned or dazed, it will flounder on the surface
of the water until secured. Except, therefore, in the last peculiar man-
ner of wounding, the seal hunter never knows whether he has missed,
wounded, or killed the seal. Provided, however, the boat can be rowed
immediately to the spot where the seal was, which depends on the accu-
racy of fixing the spot — necessarily a most difficult matter — the hunter
may perceive the sinking body, if the seal was killed, some 4, 6, or 8
feet below the surface. In that case he reaches down with his gaff and
fastens on to the carcass and drags it up to the boat. Seals wounded
either fatally or slightly are never found. They instantly dive and
swim away, to perish sooner or later.

THE WASTE OF LIFE.

A hunter takes, say, 200 cartridges when he leaves the schooner in
the morning, and after perhaps sixteen hours' work returns to the ves-
sel with all these expetided. If for these he can show 10 or 12 skins it
is considered a good day's work. The pelagic hunter certainly kills and
fatally wounds a very large number of animals which he never secures
the bodies of, the number hit and secured depending very largely upon
the retrieving skill of the hunter. From conversations I have had with
pelagic hunters, I am of the opinion that a large majority of them do
not get one out of every five that they shoot at within and beyond a
range of 50 yards. At 30 to 50 yards' distance they are almost sure to
hit them if they use buckshot. No hunter who uses a gun can tell the
exact number he secures, as compared with the number he kills or
fatally wounds. He can not possibly tell the truth, even if he wants
to do so. He usually blazes away at every seal that rises within range
to a hundred yards or even farther.

The Indian hunters accompanying a sealing schooner generally use a
toggle-headed spear, fastened to the canoe by a line which they use.
After a storm the seals sleep more than at any other time, and it is
then the Indian hunters are let down in their canoes and paddle
off to the windward, the hunter standing or squatting in the bow,
spear in hand, looking for the protruding nose of a sleeping seal.
When a "sleeper" is seen, the canoe is silently paddled as near the
animal as possible, the spear is thrown, and if the seal is struck she
is dragged into the canoe by the line. An Indian hunter secures
nearly every seal he strikes; but it is also indiscriminate slaughter, as
he can not distinguish the age or sex of the " sleei^er" before striking it.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 127

PROHIBITION IN BERING SEA AND NQRTH PACIFIC NECESSARY.

After carefully examining tlie situation, actual records, and trust-
worthy testimony of men engaged iu sealing, with whom I have con-
versed, and also from knowledge of the migratory habit and peculiar
circumstances of seal life, I am of the opinion that unchecked pelagic
sealing is sure, speedy destruction of the Pribilof herd of fur seals;
that if allowed to continue, and the fleet increases in number of vessels
and increased skill of hunters, even though the present modus vivendi
should remain in force, it would result in the utter commercial ruin of
the herd; that in order to preserve the seals from complete destruction,
as a commercial factor, it is necessary that pelagic sealing should not
only be prohibited iu Bering Sea, but also in the iS"orth Pacific, from
the 1st of May until the end of October, annually. The pelagic hunters
to day kill at least 90 per cent cows, the great majority being with
young, nearly ready for delivery, in the Pacific Ocean.

As the physical conditions are such that it is utterly impossible to
discriminate in matters of sex or age when shooting or sj^earing in
the water, it is evident that pelagic sealing can not be regulated in the
slightest degree beyond its complete prohibition within certain limits.
A zone or belt of 30 or even more miles about the Pribilof Islands will
be entirely ineffective. No pelagic sealing can be permitted in Bering-
Sea with safety to the preservation of the herd, and the prohibition
should extend into the North Pacific to a period sufliciently early (at
least by the 1st of May) in the season to protect in great measure the
pregnant female seals as they pass along up the coast.

The visit which I miade to the Pribilof Islands in 1890 satisfied me
that a very great decrease had taken place in the seal herd which
annually resorts to those islands. My observations in 1872, 1874, and
1876 led me to the conclusion that, provided matters were conducted
in the seal islands as they were then, 100,000 male seals under 5 years
of age might be safely taken each year without injury to the regular
birth rates or natural increase of the herd, provided no abnormal cause
of destruction occurred. But in 1890 I found an entirely different condi-
tion of affairs existing. This decrease I attribute in the greatest meas-
ure to the pelagic sealing above mentioned. Its effect has been so great
that there is demanded, in my opinion, a cessation of all killing on the
islands, except for the necessities of the natives for a few years, as well
as the permanent prohibition of pelagic sealing, as already indicated,
thus giving an opportunity for the herd to reestablish itself approxi-
mately to its normal conditions. AVhen the killing is again permitted
on the islands for commercial purposes the regulations of the Treasury
Department can be rigidly enforced, overdriving can easily be prevented,
and the present killing of pups by the natives for food should be pro-
hibited, at least until the herd shall have reached the form and condi-
tion which I found during 1872-1876.

With such regulations in force, and with pelagic sealing discondnued,
it may be confidently anticipated that within a few years this species,
so valuable to the human race, will be restored to a condition which
will render it valuable once again to the commerce of the civilized
world; and this restoration will prove enduring.

Henry W. Elliott.

Subscribed and sworn to before me, a notary public in and for the
District of Columbia, this 13th day of April, 1892.

[i^. s.] Sevellon a. Brown.

128 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

•

United States Coast and Geodetic Survey,

Steamer Mc Arthur, December 9, 1892.
Hon. John W. Foster,

Secretary of State, Washington, D. G.

Sir : I have tlie honor to forward the affidavit desired, and will forward
the duplicate to-morrow.

We anchored off Sechat village at 3.30 p. m. April 20. Our native
chief came alongside and was requested to come on board in the morn-
ing and bring with him some of the chief men of the village. He had
planned to go hunting wild geese, which were flying at the time; so I
promised him $3 or $5 for his loss of time and to accompany us to other
villages. We took their testimony in the morning of the 21st, and ran
to another village, anchoring at 10.45 a. m., took testimony and left at
1.20. Anchored off Uchielet at 2.40 and left at 4.25. Anchored off
Taylor Island at 7.20 p. m. and left for Port Townsend at 10 p. m.

Two to three dollars were given to each head chief and one dollar
each to the others for their loss of time and witness fee after testimony
was given. All that was requested of them was to answer the questions
truthfully. The white storekeeper was on board but a few minutes, and
was invited to take a glass of beer or liquor. The priest dined on board,
and, 1 believe, took a drink and some claret wine. We were not long
enough in any one place to intoxicate anyone if we had been foolish
enough to do so. I sincerely believe they would give the same
testimony to an English party at any time.

Tliere were four commissioned officers of the Navy present during the
testimony, and as many of the witnesses could speak and understand
English, all were satisfied of their truthfulness.
Very respectfully,

W. P. Ray,
Lieutenant, United States Navy, Commanding.

Deposition of W. P. Bay.

State of California:

W. P. Ray, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am an olficer in
the United States Navy, holding the grade of lieutenant. Under
instructions from Washington I went from Port Townsend to Barclay
Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, April 19, 1892, in the
steamer McArthur, of the United States Coast Survey. I returned to
Port Townsend three days later. The object of my visit to Barclay
Sound was to procure information in the form of affidavits as to the
habits of the fur seals, to be used in the pending arbitration with Great
Britain. I visited the various points in that vicinity inhabited by the
Indians, and took the testimony of a number of these people and of
the priest of the village. For greater convenience I took the testimony
aboard the steamer, and I agreed to pay, and did pay, each witness a
reasonable sum for attendance, which sum did not exceed the usual fee
allowed a witness in a court of justice. The total amount disbursed
by me in obtaining the testimony of these witnesses was $35, which
amount was distributed among 15 men. It was made up partly of the
amount paid to each individual witness on account of his attendance
on board my vessel, partly of sums paid out to men who undertook to
ascertain the whereabouts of certain of the witnesses and secure their
attendance as above. Each witness received a plug of tobacco. No
other gratuity of any sort was dispensed.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 129

At no time during my stay at Barclay Sound was any intoxicating
liquor dispensed to any native witness, nor was any witness under the
influence of liquor at the time wlien 1 took his testimony. We were
not more than two and a half hours at any one village.

The testimony which I obtained was given in every instance willingly
and cheerfully. ISTeither the witness fees nor the gratuities above men-
tioned formed any part of the consideration for the giving of this testi-
mony, and I flrmly believe the same statements will be made to anyone
visiting the place for information at any time.

Just before leaving, Chief Charlie, chief of police, stated that he and
his peoi)le had given food, clothing, shelter, and protection to many ship-
wrecked Americans, and he requested blue cloth enough to make a uni-
form suit, as he could not procure any there. It was given to him as a
slight acknowledgment of his kindness to our peoi^le in distress.
Value, $10.

W. P. Eat,
Lieutenant, United States Navy,
Commanding Coast Survey Steamer Mc Arthur,

Sworn to before me this 9th day of December, 1892.

[SEAL.j A. S. MACDONALD.

Notary Puhlic in and for Alameda County, State of California,

Deposition of C. L. Hooper,

District of Columbia,

City of Washington, ss:

Personally appeared before me C. L. Hooper, who, being duly sworn,
deposes and says: I am 50 years of age; a resident of Oakland, Cal.,
and am an officer in the United States Revenue-Marine Service, holding
the grade of captain, and commanding the United States revenue-
steamer Convin.

In obedience to instructions from the Secretary of the Treasury, I
cruised in the ol^orth Pacific Ocean from March 9 to May 16, 1892, for
the purpose of investigating the habits of the fur seal when at sea.
During these investigations I had occasion to take the depositions of a
number of natives and white men familiar with the subject.

During a portion of September, all of October, and a portion of
November these investigations were continued in the vicinity of the
Aleutian Archipelago, and a number of depositions were taken also
from the natives of the Aleut villages situated thereon.

No depositions were taken by me from the natives of Vancouver
Island, nor from the natives from any other localities except as pre-
viously indicated.

In no instance was liquor in any form given by me, or by anyone on
my vessel, to any affiant; no affiant was under the influence of liquor
when his statement was made; no undue influence of any sort or
description was used ; no gratuities were given ; only such witness fees
were paid as would be a fair compensation for loss of time when such
loss of time actually occurred, and the testimony obtained was given
freely and willingly.

Two hundred and eighty depositions were taken, and the aggregate
fees paid was $09.50.

C. L. Hooper,

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 13th day of December, 1892,
[seal.] Sevellon a. Brown.

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 9

130 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Deposition of William H. Williams.

District of Columbia,

City of Washington, ss :

Personally appeared before me William H. Williams, who being duly
sworn, deposes and says: I reside at Wellington, Ohio; I am 56 years
of age, and am United States Treasury agent in charge of the Pribilof
Islands.

I have seen several newspaper articles in which I am charged with
having ''suborned Indian testimony," with employing "unfair means"
in obtiiining evidence from Indians, and that conclusive proof of this
misconduct has been procured by Major Sherwood of the Dominion
police.

The facts in connection with the procuring of these depositions are
as follows : During the summer of 1892 I had occasion, in accordance
with instructions from the Secretary of the Treasury, to take the depo-
sitions of certain natives concerning the subjects of seal life and sealing
at sea. The Indians from whom I took depositions were the Makah
Indians at the Makah Agency, two Nitnat Indians at the same place,
and the natives on the Pribilof Islands. ISlo depositions were taken by
me irom any other natives, and I was never at Barclay Sound, on the
west of Vancouver Island, or on the west coast of British Columbia,
In taking depositions from the Makah Indians the only sum of money
paid was $2.50, which was given by me to Chestoqua Peterson, son of
the chief, for his services as interpreter for two and one-half days. On
the Pribilof Islands the sum of $5 was paid to Simeon Melivedof, a
native and school teacher on the island, for four days' services as a
copyist. These were the only sums of money paid by me to Indians or
to natives, or to anyone in Alaska.

In no instance was any liquor given to an affiant by me, nor by any
one either directly or indirectly associated with me; nor was any affiant
under the influence of liquor when his deposition was made or verified;
and no undue influence of any sort or description was employed. No
gratuities in any form were given. The testimony obtained was not
only freely and willingly given, in all instances, but often voluntarily.
This was especially true of the two Nitnat Indians.

In the case of the natives at the Makah Agency, the depositions were
taken in the office of the Indian agent, Glynn, and under his personal
knowledge. He is a radical in his opposition to the giving of intoxi-
cants to natives, and had anyone attempted to offer one of the Indians
liquor he would have been at once ejected from the agency.

Wm. H. Williams.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of December, 1892.
[SEAL.] Chas. S. Hughes, Notary Public.

Additional deposition of William H. Williams.

District of Columbia,

City of Washington, ss:

Personally appeared before me William H. Williams, who, being duly
sworn, deposes and says: I reside at Wellington, Ohio; am 56 years of
age, and am United States Treasury agent in charge of the Pribilof
Islands.

During the summer of 1892 I had occasion, in accordance with instruc-
tions from the Secretary of the Treasury, to take the depositions of car-

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 131

tain white meu concerning the subject of sealing at sea. The depositions
were taken in Victoria from ship captains, seamen, boat pullers and
steerers, seal hunters, and others interested in sealing, among them the
vice-president of the Sealers' Association. All depositions were taken
and verified before the United States consul, Myers, at Victoria. This
was the only jjlace in which I took depositions in British Columbia. In
no instance was any liquor given by me to an affiant; nor was any affiant
under the influence of liquor when his deposition was made or verified;
and no undue influence of any sort or description was employed. No
gratuities were given. The testimony obtained was, in all instances,
not only given freely and willingly, but often voluntarily. The usual
witness fees (in tins case ranging from $1 to $3) were paid, and only in
three instances was the latter sum given, the usual price being $2.

Wm. H. Williams.

Sul)Soribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of December, 1892,
[SEAL.] Ohas. S. Hughes, Notary Public,

Deposition of Joseph Mtirray.

District of Columbia,

City of Washington, ss :

Personally appeared before me Joseph Murray, who, being duly sworn,
deposes and says: I reside at Fort Collins, Colo.; I am 50 years of age,
and am the first assistant Treasury agent at the Pribilof Islands.

In obedience to instructions from the Secretary of the Treasury, I
accomi)anied the Fish Commission stea,rRer Albatross on the cruise made
by that vessel during the month of April, 1892, and took depositions
from the natives of Cooks Inlet and Prince William Sound. I also took
depositions in Kodiak, Victoria, Port Towuseud, and Seattle from white
men. In no instance was any liquor given to an affiant; nor was any
affiant under the influence of liquor when his statement was made or
verified ; and no undwe influence of any sort or description was employed.
No compensation whatsoever was given by the Government to any
native or other person for any purpose, and the testimony obtained was
in all instances given freely and willingly.

Joseph Murray.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 21st day of December, 1892.
[SEAL.J Joseph A. Kinsley, Notary Public.

DESTRUCTION OF FEMALE SEALS.

Testimony of American furriers.

Relative to matter of depletion of seal herds of the Pribilof Islands,
this most deplorable fact is due in our opinion in great part, if not
entirely, to the action of sealers in the indiscriminate killing of these
animals while in transit to and from these islands for breeding purposes,
the females being killed in much greater proportionate numbers, owing
to their less aggressive nature and their being less able to escape.
While on their way to these islands the cow (female) seal is in a condi-
tion of pregnancy, the i)eriod of gestation ending shortly after their
landing. If intercepted and killed while in this condition the loss is
obvious. (C Ct. Gunther's Sons.)

132 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

At that time (1865) lie made his purchases from the ludiaus ou the
western coast of the American continent, who offered to him only the
skins of female seals; that the price he originally ])aid for them was as
low as 50 cents per skin; that he offered the Indians a much higher
price for male skins, and was told by them that the male seals could
not be caught, and that many Indians whom lie has personally seen
kill seals, and from wbom he has bought skins, have told him that male
seals and the young cows were too active to be caught, and that it was
only the feiiiale seals heavy with young which they could catch. The
males, for instance, as deponent was told by the seal hunters, come up
to the surface of the water after diving often as much as a mile from
the place they went down, whereas the females can, when pregnant,
hardly dive at all.

Deponent says that, from his own observation of live seals during
many years, and from his personal inspection of the skins, he knows
the difference between the skin of a female seal and a male seal to be
very marked, and that the two are easily distinguishable. The skin of
a female shows the marks of the breasts, about which there is no fur.
The belly of the female seal is barren of fur also, whereas on a male the
fur is thick and evenly distributed. The female seal has a much nar-
rower head than the male seal, and this difference is apparent in the
skins ; also that the differences between the male and female seals' skins
are marked; that there is now and always has been a difference in the
price of the two from 300 to 500 per cent. For example, at the last sales
in London, on the 22d day of February, 1892, there were sold 30,000
female skins at a price of 40 shillings apiece, and 13,000 male seals at a
price of 130 shillings apiece, on an average.

Second. That from the year 1864 down to the present day deponent
or his firm have been large purchasers of seal skins on £he western
coast of America from the Indians and residents on the British coast;
and deponent believes that he has handled nearly three-fourths of the
catch from that time down to the present. That during the whole of
this period he has purchased from 30,000 to 40,000 seal skins a year, and
that he has jiersonally inspected and physically handled the most of the
skins so bought by him or his firm.

That from the year 1880 he has been in the habit of buying skins
from American and English vessels, engaged in what is now known as
jioaching, and that he has personally inspected every cargo bought, and
seen unloaded from the jioaching vessels, and subsequently seen and
superinteuded the unpacking of the same in his own warehouse; that
the most of the skins mentioned as purchased by him have been bought
from the poaching vessels, and that of the skins so bought from the
vessels known as poachers deponent says that at least 90 per cent of
the total number of skins were those of female seals, and that the skins
of male seals found among those (;argoes were the skins of very small
animals, not exceeding 2 years of age; and, further, that the age of the
seal may be told accurately from the size of its skin.

Third. That the skins bought at Victoria from the poaching vessels
are shipped by him largely to the firm of 0. M. Lampson & Co., in Lon-
don, who are the largest sellers of skins in the Avorld, and the agents
of deponent's firm; that he has been through the establishment of
C. M. Lampson & Co., in London, very frequently; that he has fre-
quently heard stated by the superintendent thereof that the great major-
ity of the skins received by them from what is called the "Northwest
catch" — that is, the northwest coast of Victoria — are the skins of seals
caught by vessels in the open Pacific or the Bering Sea, and that a

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 133

large proportion of said skins, amounting to at least 90 per cent, wc
in liis, the said superintendent's, judgment obviously the skins of lem;
seals.

were
lie

Fourth. That deponent has frequently requested the captains of the
poaching vessels sailing from Victoria and other ports to obtain the
skins of male seals, and stated that he would give twice as much
money, or even more, for such skins than he would pay for the skins
of females. Each and all of the captains so approached lauglied at
the idea of catching male seals in the open sea, and said that it was
impossible for them to do it, and that they could not catch male seals
unless they could get upon the islands, which, except once in a long-
while, they were unable to do, in consequence of the restrictions imposed
by the United States Government; because, they said, the males were
more active, and could outswim any boat which th^ir several vessels had,
and that it was only the female seals who were heavy with young svhick
could be caught. Among the captains of vessels with whom deponent
has talked, and who have stated to him that they were unable to catch
anything but females, are the following: Captain Cathcart, an Ameri-
can, now about 75 years of age, who commanded the schooner San
Diego^ and who subsequently commanded other vessels; Oapt. Harry
Harmson, Capt. George W. Littlejohn, Oapt. A. Carlson, Gustav Sund-
vall, and others, whose names he does not now remember. (Herman
Liebes.)

I find in handling the skins taken in Bering Sea that the teats of
those from the cow seals are much larger and much more developed
than from the ones taken in the North Pacific before they have given
birth to their young; and the fur on the belly of the former is thinner
and poorer than on the latter, as a result, I suppose, of the heat and
distention of the udder consequent upon giving milk. (Isaac Liebes.)

In my examination of skins offered for sale by sealing schooners I
found that over 90 per cent were skins taken from females. The sides
of the female skins are swollen, and are wider on the belly than those
of the males. The teats are very discernible on the females, and it
can be plainly seen where the young have been suckling. The head of
the females is also much narrower. (Sidney Liebes.)

I have read the affidavit of John J. Phelan, verified the 18th day of
June, 1892. I was present at the examination of seal skins therein
referred to. While Phelan inspected all of these seal skins, I assisted
him in the inspection of about three-fourths of them. I know that of
those inspected jointly none were improperly classed as the skins of
female animals. (Chas. E. McClennen.)

I was visiting in San Francisco in the winter of 1890-91, and I worked
in a fur store during several months of my stay there, and I was called
on to handle and inspect thousands of the skins taken by schooners in
Bering Sea, and they were nearly all cow seal skins. (Anton MelovedofP.)

In buying the catch of schooners engaged in the sealing business I
have observed that fully 50 per cent of them were females, and had
either given birth to their young or were heavy in pup when killed,
which was easily observed by the width of the skin of the belly and the
small head and development of the teat. (E. H. Sternfels.)

The first consignment was placed in cold storage at the Central Stores
in New York City. A short time since I consented, at the request of
the United States Government, that this consignment be examined, in

184 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

order to determine how many female skins it contained. To perform
tlie examination I detailed John J. Plielan. This man has been in the
employ of my father or of myself since the year 1808, I regard him
as one of the most competent, trustworthy men in our service. I have
read an affidavit verified by him on the 18th of June. I agree entirely
with what he says concerning his experience in the handling and dress-
ing of skins, and from what I know of his character and ability I
believe that everything stated by him in this affidavit is correct. (Geo.
H. Tread well.)

It is true that the JSTorthwest Coast catches have of late years placed
upon the market a certain number of good skins which could be pur-
chased at prices far below those for which tlie skins of the Alaska
catch, were sold. But .1 realize that this can not continue to be the
case, for it is a matter of common knowledge among furriers that
these Northwest Coast catches are composed mainly of the skins of
female animals, and I understand that the killing of the seals is rapidly
impairing the value of the herd. (Samuel Ullmanu.)

I have for many years personally examined numerous shipments of
Northwest Coast skins purchased at Victoria. I have had such expe-
rience in handling fur-seal skins as enables me, readily in most cases,
but always upon careful examination, to distinguish a female skin from
a male skin, and I know it to be a fact that a very large proportion of
the skins in such shipments are those taken from female animals. It is
also true that a large number of skins in many of these shipments are
rendered almost valueless through the numerous bullet holes which they
contain. (Samuel Ullmann.)

I have observed that by far the larger portion of skins purchased by
me were taken from female seals. Not less than eight out of every ten
were from cows with pup or in milk. (C. T. Wagner.)

During the past two years I have handled large numbers of North-
west Coast skins (i. e., skins of animals taken in the Pacific Ocean or
in Bering Sea). I have assorted all of them, and in doing so have
specially noticed the fact that a very large projiortion were skins of
female animals. To determine this fact in the case of dressed skins I
see whether there are any teat holes. I never call a skin a female skin
unless I can find two such holes on either side. These holes can be
easily distinguished from bullet or buckshot holes, of which there are
generally a great number in Northwest Coast skins. In the case of a
shot hole it is always evident that the surrounding fur has been abruptly
cut off, while around the edge of a teat hole the fur gradually shortens
as it reaches the edge and naturally ceases to grow at the edge. I have
just looked over an original case of 90 dressed and dyed Northwest
Coast fur- seal skins, which have been lately received from London, and
were still under seal placed on them in London. I found that of these
90 skins 9 only were those of male animals. (Wm. Wiepert.)

Deponent further says that the skins of the Northwest catch are
almost entirely the skins of females; that the skins of males and the
skins of females may be as readily distinguished fi'om each other as
the skins of the different sexes of any other animals when seen before
being dyed and dressed, and that the reason why the skins of this
catch are almost exclusively females is that the male seal is much more
active and much more able to escape from the boats engaged in this
manner of hunting than the female seal, and that a large number of
the female seals included in the Northwest catch are of animals heavy

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 135

with young. A large number of females are also caught on their way
from and to the Pribilof Islands and their feeding grounds before and
after the delivery of their young on those islands. (C. A. Williams.)

A statement is attached thereto,* prepared by deponent, giving his
estimate of the number of female seals killed by pelagic hunting in the
past twenty-one years. (0. A. Williams.)

That for the last fifteen years he has had consigned to him by fur
sealers from 8,000 to 10,000 seal skins annually, for the purpose of
dressing and dyeing the same; that about 50 per cent, of the skins so
received by him came from London in casks marked as they are cata-
logued by 0. M. Lampson & Co., and are the skins belonging to what
is known as the Northwest catch; and deponent is informed and believes
that the Northwest catch, as the term is used in the trade, means the
skins of seals caught in the open sea and not upon the islands. Another
reason for this belief is the fact that all of the skins of the Northwest
catch contain marks showing that the animal has been killed by bullets
or buckshot, the skins being pierced by the shot, whereas the skins
killed on the American and Russian islands are killed on land by clubs
and are not pierced.

That of the skins of the Northwest catch coming into his hands for
treatment probably all are the skins of the female seal, and that the
same can be distinguished from the skins of the male seal by reason of
the breasts and of the thinness of the fur around the same and upon
the belly, most of the females being killed while they are bearing their
young, and the fur therefore being stretched and tliinner over that part
of the body; and also for the further reason that the head of the female
seal is much narrower than that of the male seal, and that this point of
difference is obvious in the skins of the two classes; that of the total
number of skins received by him about 25 per cent are the skins of the
Alaska and Copper catches; that all the skins of the Alaska catch are
male seals, and an overwhelming proportion of the Copper catch are
likewise male skins; that the remainder of the skins sent to deponent
for dressing and dyeing, as aforesaid, are received by him through the
house of Herman Liebes & Co., of San Francisco, and others, the
majority, however, from Herman Liebes & Co. The skins received
from the latter sources are from each of the three catches known to the
trade as the Copper, Alaska, and Northwest catches, although the major
part thereof belong to what is known as the Northwest catch, and are,
as in the case of the skins received from London of that catch, all skins
of the female seal. (Jos. D. Williams.)

In examining and purchasing seal skins from schooners in their raw
state I have observed that 90 per cent of their catch are females. I
know that to be a fact, because the heads of the females are smaller,
the bellies larger, and the teats can be plainly seen. The teats show
more plainly when the skin is dressed and dyed. In examining the
skins taken by sealing schooners I have found most of themj^erforated
with shot, making them much less valuable thereby; formerly more of
them used to be killed with a rifle, which did not injure the skin as
much. (Maurice Windmiller.)

The destruction of the seals in the North Pacific Ocean, as well as in
the Bering Sea, is largely confined to females. This fact can not be
disputed successfully. I made an examination of the reports of the

* Not furnished.

136 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

gentlemen wlio liaiulled the isorth Pacific collection, up to and inclnd-
ing' the year 18S9, and all agreed that the skins were nearly all from
females. It may not be out of place to explain that the smaller value
of the female seal, especially after the birth of her pup, is in a measure
due to the wearing- of the fur around the teats. The amount of mer-
chantable fur being reduced to that extent, makes it necessary for the
handlers of skins to observe carefully whether pelts are male or female,
as well as their general condition. They make a complete classification,
and being experts in their business are not likely to make mistakes.
(Theo. T. Williams.)

PELAGIC SEALING.

Deposition of Maurice Windmiller, furrier, San Francisco.

State of California,

City and County of San Francisco, ss:

Maurice Windmiller, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: My
age is 46; I reside in San Francisco; my occupation is that of a furrier.
I have been engaged in the fur business all my life, and my father was
a furrier before me. I am an expert in dressed and undressed, raw, and
made-up furs, and also a dealer and manufacturer in the same. I have
bought and examined large numbers of fur-seal skins during the last
twelve years caught by sealing schooners both on the American and
Kussian side of the North Pacific and Bering Sea, and I can easily dis-
tinguish one from the other.

The Eussian seal is a smaller seal, and the fur is not as close as the
fur of the Alaska seal, nor as good quality. They are an entirely dif-
ferent herd from those on the American side, and their skins have pecu-
liar characteristics by which it is not difficult to separate them. In
examining and purchasing seal skins from the schooners in their raw
state 1 have observed that 90 per cent of their catch are females. I
know that to be a fact because the heads of the females are smaller,
the bellies larger, and the teats can be plainly seen. The teats show
more plainly when tlie skin is dressed and dyed. In examining the
seals taken by sealing schooners I have found most of them perforated
with shot, making them much less valuable thereby. Formerly more
of them used to be killed with a rifle, which did not injure the skins

as much.

Maurice Windmiller,

general seal-skin industry.

Deposition of Joseph D. Williams, furrier, New TorJe,

State of New York,

City and County of New Yoric, ss:
Joseph D. Williams, being duly sworn, says that he is 74 years of
age, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the
State of New York; that he has been engaged in the business of dress-
ing and dyeing fur-seal skins continuously for fifteen years past, and
prior to that time, at intervals during the whole time he has been
engaged in business, during a period of some fifty-odd years, he has

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 137

dressed niul dyed seal skins, and that his father was eiigas^ed in the
same business before him; that for the last lifteen years lie has had
consigned to him by fur dealers from 8,000 to 10,000 seal skins annually
for the purpose of dressing and dyeing- the same; that about 50 per
cent of the skins so received by him came from J.ondon in casks marked
as they are catalogued by C. JVI. Lampson & Co., and are the skins
belonging to what is known as the Northwest catch; and deponent is
informed and believes that the Northwest catch, as the term is used in
the trade, means the skins of seals caught in the open sea, and not
upon the islands. Another reason for this belief is the fact that all of
the skins of the Northwest catch contain marks showing that the ani-
mal liad been killed by bullets or buckshot, the skins being pierced by
the shot, whereas the skins killed on the American and Russian islands
are killed on land by clubs and are not pierced.

That of the skins of the Northwest catch coming into his hands for
treatment probably all are the skins of the female seal, and that the
same can be distinguished fi"om the skins of the male seal by reason of
the breasts and of the thinness of the fur around the same and upon
the belly, most of the female seals being killed while they are bearing
their young, and the fur therefore being stretched and tliinner over that
part of the body; and also for the further reason that the head of the
female seal is much narrower than that of the male seal, and that this
point of difference is obvious in the skins of the two classes. That of
the total number of the skins received by him about 25 per cent are the
skins of the Alaska and Copper catch. That all the skins of the Alaska
catch are male seals, and an overwhelming proportion of the Coj^per
catch are likewise male skins. That the remainder of the skins sent
to dejionent for dressing and dyeing as aforesaid are received by him
through the house of Herman Liebes & Co., of San Francisco, and
others, the majority, however, from Herman Liebes & Co. The skins
received from the latter sources are from each of the three catches known
to the trade as the Copper, Alaska, and Northwest catch, although the
major part thereof belong to what is known as the Northwest catch, and
are, as in the case of the skins received from London of that catch, all
skins of the female seal.

Joseph D. Williams.

DESTRUCTION OP FEMALE SEALS.

Testimony of British furriers.

I can also tell by examining a skin whether it has been taken from a
female or a male. I have examined and sorted a great many thousand
skins taken from sealing schooners, and have observed that they are
nearly all females, a few being old bulls and yearlings. A female seal
has a smaller head and a larger belly when with young than a male seal,
and the fur on the belly when with young is much thinner, and the fur
on the belly part where the teats are, in consequence of being worn, is
not worth much, and has to be cut off after being dyed. (George
Bantle.)

The skins of the male and female animal are readily distinguishable
from each other in the adult stage by reason of the difference in the
shape of the heads. That the Copper and Alaska skins are almost
exclusively the skins of the male animal, and the skins of the North-

138 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

west catch are at least 80 per cent of the skins of tlie female animal.
Tluit prior to and in preparation for making this deposition deponent
says he carefully lookel tlirough two large lots of skins now in his
warehouse for the especial purpose of estimating the percentage of
female skins found among the Northwest catch, and he believes the
above estimate to be accurate. That the skins in the Northwest catch
are also pierced with shot and spear marks, in consequence of having
been killed in the open water instead of upon land by club. (H. S.
Bevington.)

And in the same way deponent thinks, from his own personal exi>eri-
ence in handling skins, that he would have no difficulty whatever in
separating the skins of the Northwest catch from the skins of the
Alaska catch by reason of the fact that they are the skins almost
exclusively of females, and also that the fur upon the bearing female
seals is much thinner than upon the skin of the male seals 5 the skin
of the animal while i)regnant being extended and the fur extended
over a large area. (Alfred Eraser.)

That the said Arm can distinguish very readily the source of pro-
duction of the skins when the latter are in their undressed state; that
for several years besides the skins of the regular companies, such as
the Alaska Company (American concessionaire) and the Copper Com-
pany (Russian concessionaire), the said firm has bought quantities of
skins called Northwest Coast, Victoria, etc. That these skins are those
of animals caught in the open sea by persons who apparently derive
therefrom large i^rotits, and nearly three quarters of them are those
of females and pups, these probably being less difficult to take than
males; that these animals are taken by being shot. That the seals
taken by the Alaska and Copper companies arc males; the destruction
of which is much less prejudicial, to the preservation of the race, and
which furnish the best skins, these being much finer and more furnished
with down; that they are killed on the islands with clubs. That every
animal killed by ball or shot bears the traces of such slaughter, which
marks greatly depreciate the value of the skin. (Emin Hertz.)

An essential point of difference between the skins of the Northwest
catch and the skins of the Alaska and Copper Island catches consists
in the fact that most of the Northwest skins are the skins of the female
seal, while the Copper and Alaska skins are of the male seal. Deponent
has made no comjiutation or examination which would enable him to
say specifically what proportion of the Northwest catch are the skins
of the female seal, but it is the fact that the great majority, deponent
would say 75 to 80 per cent, of the skins of this catch are the skins of
the female animal. The skins of the female seal, for instance, show the
marks of the breast, and the fur on the belly is thinner, and the whole
of the fur is also finer, lower in pile; that is, the fibers composing the
fur are shorter than in the case of the male seal. Another means of dis-
tinguishing the female skins from the skins of the male lies in the fact
that the skins of the female are narrower at the head and tail and pro-
portionately wider in the belly than the skins of the male seal. Another
means of distinguishing the seals of the Northwest catch from those of
the Copper Island and Alaska catches consists in the fact that nearly
all the skins of this catch have holes in them, which deponent under-
stands is caused by the fact that the seals from which they are taken
have been shot or speared in the ojien sea, and not — as is the case with
the seals from which the skins of Copper Island and Alaska catches
are taken and killed — with clubs upon land. (Walter E. Martin.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 139

Both the Copper Island skins and the Ala-ska skins are almost exclu-
sively the skins of the male seals, and the difference between the skin
of a male seal and a female seal of adult age can be as readily seen as
between the skins of diU'erent sexes of other animals. That the North-
west skins are, in turn distinguishable from the Copper Island and
Alaska skins, first by reason of tlie fact that a very large proportion
of the adult skins are obviously the skins of female animals; second,
because they are all pierce<I with a spear or harpoon or shot, in conse-
quence of being killed in open sea, and not, as in the case of Co])per
Island and Alaska skins, being killed upon laud by clubs; third,
because the Northwest skins are cured upon vessels by the crews of
which they are killed, upon which there are not the same facilities for
flaying or salting the skins as there are upon land, where the Copper
and Alaska skins are flayed and salted. The Japanese skins, which, I
think, are now included in the Northwest catch, are distinguishable
from the other skins of the Northwest catch by being yellower in color,
having a much shorter pile, because they are salted with fln.e salt, and
have plenty of blubber on the pelt. That the skins purchased by
deponent's firm are handed over by it to what are called dressers and
dyers, for the purpose of being dressed and dyed. (Henry Poland.)

That the differences in the skins of the adult male and the adult
female seals are as marked as the difference between the skins of the
two sexes of the other animals, and that in the Northwest catch from
85 to 90 per cent of the skins are of the female animal. Deponent
does not mean to state that these figures are mathematically accurate,
but they are, in his judgment, apijroximately exact. (Geo. Rice.)

I should estimate the proportion of female skins included within the
Northwest catch at at least 75 per cent, and I should not be surprised
at, nor be inclined to contradict, an estimate of upward of 90 per cent.
My sorter, who actually handles the skins, estimates the number of
female skins in the Northwest catch at 90 per cent. One means of dis-
tinguishing the skins of the Northwest catch from those of the other
catches is the fact that they are pierced with shot or spear holes, having
been killed in the open sea, and not, as in the case of the Copper and
Alaska catches, killed upon land with clubs. (William C. B. Stamp.)

The number of Japanese skins averages, deponent should say, about
6,000 a year, although there is a good deal of fluctuation in the quantity
from year to year, and deponent says that, like the other skins included
in the Northwest catch, they are principally the skins of female seals,
not easily distinguishable from the skins taken from the herds frequent-
ing the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, except by
reason of their being principally speared instead of shot. The most
essential difference between the Northwest skins and the Alaska and
Copper catches is that the Northwest skins, so far as they are skins of
adult seals, are almost exclusively the skins of female seals, and are
nearly always pierced with shot, bullet, or spear holes. The skins of
the adult female seals maybe as readily distinguishable from the skins
of the adult male as the skins of the different sexes of other animals;
that practically the whole of the adult Northwest-catch seals were the
skins of female seals, but the skins of the younger animals included
within this Northwest catch, of which we have at times considertible
numbers, are much more difficult to separate into male and female skins,
and I am not prepared to say that I could distinguish the male from
the female skins of young animals. A certain percentage of young

140 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

aiiiraals is found among the consignments received by us at the begin-
ning of each season, which, we understand, and are informed, are the
skins of seals caught in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of America,
but a much smaller percentage of such small skins is found among the
consignment later in the season, which we are informed are of seals
caught in the Bering Sea. (Emil Teichmanu.)

From G. M. Lampson & Go, to G. A. Williams^ August 32, 1889.

London, 64 Queen Street, E. C,

August 22, 1889.

Dear Sir : We beg to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 10th
instant, inclosing draft of a paper to be submitted to Congress on mer-
chant marine and fisheries.

We have read the paper witli a great deal of interest and consider
that it places the matter in athoroughly impartial way before its readers.
It has been so carefully preiDared and goes into all details so fully that
we can add but little to it. There are, however, one or two points to
which we beg to draw your attention, and which you will find marked
in red ink on the i)aper.

When speaking of the supply of fur skins we would suggest mention-
ing the following localities:

Ga])e of Good Hope. — From some islands off this cape, under the pro-
tection of the Cape Government, a yearly supply of from 5,000 to 8,000
skins is derived. All these skins come to the London market, part of
them being sold at public auction, the remainder being dressed and
dyed for account of the owners.

Japan. — The supply from this source has varied very much of late
years, amounting sometimes to 15,000 skins a year, at others to only
5,000. Last year, we understand, the Japanese Government passed
stringent laws prohibiting the killing and importation of seals, with the
view of protecting seal life and encouraging rookeries, and the conse-
quence has been that this year very few skins have come forward.

Vancouver Island. — For many years past, indeed long before the for-
mation of the Alaska Company, regular supplies of fur seals in the
salted and parchment state have come to the London market, killed
mostly off' Cape Flattery. The quantity, we should say, has averaged
at least 10,000 per annum. This catch takes place in the months of
March and April, and we believe that the animals from which these
skins are derived are the females of the Alaska seals, just the same as
those caught in the Bering Sea.

Had this quantity been materially increased, we feel sure that the
breeding on the Pribilof Islands would have suffered before now; but
fortunately the catch must necessarily be a limited one, owing to the
stormy tinie of the year at which it is made and the dangerous coast,
where the seals only for a short time are found. It must, however, be
evident that if these animals are followed into the Bering Sea and hunted
down in a calm sea in the quietest months of the year, a practically
unlimited quantity of females might be taken, and, as you say, it would
be only a few years till the Alaska seal was a thing of the past.

C. M. Lampson & Co.

C. A. Williams, Esq., New London.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 141

TESTIMONY RELATING TO THE GENERAL SEAL-SKIN INDUSTRY IN

GREAT BRITAIN.

Deposition of H. S. Bevington, head of the firm of Bevington d; Morris,

furriers^ London.

H. S. Beviugton, M. A., being duly sworn, doth depose and say:
That he is 40 years of age and a subject of Her Britannic Majesty, and
is the head of the firm of Bevington & Morris, doing business as fur
merchants and manufacturers at 28 Cannon street, in the city of I^on-
dou; that his said firm was founded in the year 1726, and has been
continued in the same family during the whole of these years down to
the present time, and has been engaged during the whole of the period
since 1726 in the same business, dealing in furs and leather; that
deponent has been in the business ever since the year 1873. During
the whole of the period since that date his said firm has been in the
habit of buying fur-seal skins, and he knows from his general knowl-
edge of the business that prior to that time they were in the habit of
buying seal skins ever since they became an article of commerce; that
deponent has personally handled many thousands of skins of the fur
seal, and by reason of that fact and of his experience in his business,
has a general knowledge of the history of the fur-seal skin business
and a general and precise knowledge of the several kinds of skins
which now and for many years last past have come upon the London
market; that since deponent has been in business skins coming upon
the London market have been principally divided into three classes,
known as the Alaska catch, the Copper catch, and the IS'orthwest catch.
Small supplies have also been received from the Southern Sea, and
Lobos Islands, Falkland Islands, and Cape Horn, but the skins arriving
from these last-mentioned localities make no figure in the market; that
what is known as the Alaska catch consists of skins of seals which are
killed upon the Pribilof Islands, in the Bering Sea, and the Copper
catch of skins which are killed upon the Copper and Bering islands,
in Russfan waters.

That the Northwest skins consist of skins taken from animals which
are caught in the open Pacific Ocean off the coast of British Columbia
or in the Bering Sea; that the difierences between the three several
sorts of skins last mentioned are so marked as to enable any person
skilled in the business or accustomed to handle the same to readily
distinguish the skins of one catch from those of another, especially in
bulk, and it is the fact that when they reach the market the skins of
each class come separately and are not found mingled with those
belonging to the other classes. The skins of the Copper Island catch
are distinguished from the skins of the Alaska and i^orthwest catch,
which two last-mentioned classes of skins appear to be nearly allied to
each other, and are of the same general character, by reason of the
fact that in their raw state the Copper skins are lighter in color than
either of the other two, and in the dried state there is a marked diifer-
ence in the appearance of the fur of the Copper and the other two
classes of skins. This difference is difficult to describe to a ])erson
unaccustomed to handle skins, but it is nevertheless clear and distinct
to an expert, and may be generally described by saying that the Copper
skins are of a close, short, and shiny fur, particularly down by the flank,
to a greater extent than the Alaska and Northwest skins. The skins
of the male and female animal are readily distinguished from eacli other
in the adult stage by reason of the difference in the shape of the heads ;

142 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

that the Copper and Alaska skins are ahuost exclusively the skins of
the male animal, and the skins of the Northwest catch are at least 80
per cent of the skins of the female animal; that prior to and in prepa
ration for making this deposition, deponent says, he carefully looked
through two large lots of skins now in his w^arehouse for the special
purpose of estimating the percejitage of female skins found among the
Northwest catch, and he believes the above estimate to be accurate.

That the skins in the Northwest catch are also pierced with shot and
spear marks, in consequence of having been killed in the open water
instead of upon land by clubs; that the business of dealing in fur-seal
skins in the city of Loudon has become an established and important
industry. Deponent is informed that practically all the seal skins in
the world are sold in London, and the number runs up in the year to
between 100,000 and 200,000, averaging considerably over 150,000 a
year. These skins are sold for the most part either by the firm of C. M.
Lampson & Co., through their brokers. Goad, Rigg & Co., or by the
firm of Culver well, Brooks & Co. At the auction sales, wliich are
advertised two or three times in the year by these firms, skins are
bought by dealers from all over the world, who are present either in
person or by proxy. The next stage in the industry is the dressing and
dyeing of the furs, and practically the whole of these fur-seal skins sold
in London are dressed and dyed in that city. The principal firms
engaged in that business are C. W. Martin & Sons and George Eice.
Deponent's own firm dress a small number of skins, and have dressed
in one year as many as 23,000, and Ibrmerly dyed large numbers of
skins, but do not now dye skins, as the secret of the present fashionable
color is now in the hands of other firms. After having been dressed
and dyed, the skins of the fur seal are then passed into the hands of
fur merchants, by whom, in turn, they are passed to furriers and dra-
pers and retail dealers generally. Deponent estimates the total num-
ber of iDcrsons engaged in one way or another, directly or indirectly, in
the fur seal industry in the city of London to be at least 2,000 or 3,000,
many of whom are skilled laborers, all receiving high wages.

That a large amount of capital is also invested in the business in the
city of London, and the precise value of the industry can be estimated
by reckoning the amount expended in the various processes which
deponerit has enumerated upon each skin. For instance, after the skins
arrive at the London market they are sold at the sales at prices which
in the year 1890 averaged, say, 80 shillings apiece. The commissions on
the selling of the goods, including warehousing, insurance, and so forth,
deponent believes, amount to 6 per cent of the price obtained. That
the amount paid for dressing, dj'eing, and machining each skin aver-
ages, say, 16 shillings. These processes take together about four or five
months. The next exj)enditure upon the skin is, say, an average of 5
shillings at least for each skin for cutting up, and that thereafter there
will be an average of at least from 3 to 4 shillings per skin expended in
quilting, lining, and making up the jackets or other garments, showing
a total expenditure upon each skin for labor alone, in the city of Lon-
don, of 25 shillings in addition to the percentage paid for brokerage,
before the processes of manufacture began, and the most of this money
is actually paid out in wages.

Deponent says that in the above estimates he has given the bottom
figures, and that the amount actually expended upon the skins in the
city of London undoubtedly averages a larger sum. This would make
on an average of 200,000 skins a j^ear, which is not excessive, a total
expenditure annually in the city of London of £250,000, minus the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 143

amounts paid for cutting and making up in respect to the skins sent to
the United States.

Deponent further says that the preservation of the seal herds and
the continued supply of fur-seal skins, whicli fu)-thermore, it is impor-
tant should be constant and regular in supply, is absolutely necessary
to the maintenance of this industry. Deponent says that the reason
for this opinion is shown in the history of last season's business. For
instance, at the October sale the prices of skins were very high, as a
short supply was expected. The skins purchased at that sale were
then put into the hands of the dressers and dyers, where they would
be retained, as above stated, in process of treatment four or five months.
During this interval it appeared that instead of there beiug a short
supply the poaching vessels had caught a large number of skins, 5(),0U0
or 60,000, which, being unexpectedly plumped on the market, brought
the price down so that there was a loss of perhaps 25 shillings per skin
on the skins bought at the October sales; and deponent further says
that it is of course obvious that the business can not be maintained
unless the herds are preserved from the destruction which has over-
taken the South Sea herds, which formerly existed in such large num-
bers, and so important has the seal-skin business become that if the
herds were exterminated dejionent says it would hardly be worth while
to remain in the fur business.

Deponent says while he does not wish to express any opinion upon
the matters which are in controversy, that nevertheless, looking at the
question of preserving the seals from a natural-history point of view
alone, and having no regard whatever to the rights of any individuals
or nations, but looking at the matter simply from the point of view of
how best to preserve the seals, he has no hesitation in saying that the best
way to accomplish that object would be to prohibit absolutely the kill-
ing of all seals except upon the islands, and furthermore to limit the
killing of seals on the islands to the male species at particular times,
and to limit the numbers of the males to be so killed. If, however, the
rights of individuals are to be considered, and sealing in the open sea
is to be allowed, then deponent thinks that the number of vessels to
be sent out by each country ought to be limited, and the number of
seals which may be caught by each vessel should be specified.

Deponent says that one reason why lie thinks the killing of seals in
the open sea should be prohibited, and all killing limited to the islands,
is because dei^ouent is of the opinion that when seals are killed in the
open sea a large number must be killed which are not recovered, and
consequently that the herds must sufler much greater loss than is
measured by the skins of the seals caught or coming to market.

Deponent further says that one reason for this opinion is that he has
had some small experience in shooting hair seals in the Scilly Islands,
and has himself personally killed hair seals at a distance of 40 or 50
yards which sank before he could reach them. Hair seals are of the
same general family as fur seals, and he has no doubt that the same
thing occurs and must occur when the fur seals are killed on the open
sea.

Herbert Shelley Bevington, M. A.

144 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Dqwsition of Alfred Fraser, member of firm of C. M. Lampsoti & Co.,

furriers, London.

State of New York,

City and County of New Yorlc, ss:

Alfred Fraser, being duly sworu, says:

(1) That he is a subject of Her Britannic Majesty and is 52 years of
age and resides in the city of Brooklyn, in the State of New York.
That he is a member of the firm of C. M. Lampson & Co., of London,
and has been a member of said firm for about thirteen years; prior to
that time he was in the emi)loy of said firm and took an active part in
the management of the business of said firm in London. That the busi-
ness of C. M. Lampson & Co., is that of merchants, engaged princi-
pally in the business of selling fur skins on commission. That for
about twenty-four years the firm of C. M. Lampson & Co. have sold
the great majority of the whole number of seal skins sold in all the
markets of the world. That while he was engaged in the management
of the business of said firm in London he had personal knowledge of
the character of the various seal skins sold by the said firm, from his
personal inspection of the same in their warehouse and from the phys-
ical handling of the same by him. That many hundred thousands of
the skins sold by C. M. Lami)Son & Co, have physically passed through
his hands, and that since his residence in this country he has, as a
member of said firm, liad a general and detailed knowledge of tlie char-
acter and extent of the business of said firm, although since his resi-
dence in the city of New York he has not physically handled the skins
disposed of by his firm.

That during the last year or two a large number of skins have been
sold in London by the firm of Culverwell, Brooks & Co., and that said
firm, as deponent is informed and believes, have secured the consign-
ment of skins to them during the period aforesaid by advancing to the
owners of vessels engaged in what is now known as pelagic sealing
sums of money, which is stated to be $15 per skin, as against ship-
ments from Victoria of such skins.

(2) That the seal skins which have been sold in Loudon from time to
time since deponent first began business have been obtained from
sources and were known in the market as —

(ft) The South Sea skins, being the skins of seals principally caught
on the South Shetland Islands, South George Islands, and Sandwich
Land. Tliat many years ago large numbers of seals were caught upon
these islands, but in consequence of the fact that no restrictions were
imposed on the. killing of said seals, they were practically exterminated,
and no seal skins appeared in the market from those localities for many
years. That about twenty years ago these islands were again visited,
and for five seasons a considerable catch was made, amounting, during
the whole five seasons, to about 30,000 or 40,000 skins. Among the
skins found in this catch were those of the oldest males and the small-
est pups, thus showing, in the judgment of deponent, that every seal
of every kind was killed that could be reached. That in consequence
thereof the rookeries on these islands were then completely exhausted.
Once or twice thereafter they were visited without result, no seals
being found, and about five years ago they were again revisited and
only 36 skins were obtained. Deponent is informed that all the South
Sea skins were obtained by killing seals upon the islands above men-
tioned, and that it is obviously everywhere much easier to kill seals upon
the land than in the water; and, in the judgment of the deponent, the
seals of the above-mentioned islands were thus entirely exterminated

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 145

because of the entire absence of any protection or of any restriction of
any kind wliatever upon tlie number, age, or sex of seals killed, and
not merely, as deponent understands has been claimed by some author-
ities, because they were killed on land instead of in open sea, which
moreover, in that locality, deponent is informed, is practically impos
sible, by reason of the roughness of the sea and weather.

{b) A considerable number of seal skins were formerly obtained upon
the Falkland Islands; how many deponent is not able to state.

(c) That a oertain number of seals were also caught at Cape Horn,
and that more or less are still taken in that vicinity, though the whole
number has been very greatly reduced.

{d) That at the present time and for many years last past the skins
coming to the market and which are known to commerce have come
from the following sources : By far the most important are the Northern
Pacific skins, which are known to the trade under the following titles:

The Alaska catch, which are the skins of seals caught on the Pribilof
Islands, situated in Bering Sea. For many years past the whole of the
skins caught upon these islands have been sold by deponent's firm, and
a statement of the number of skins so sold in each year is appended
hereto and marked Exhibit A, showing the aggregate of such skins
sold from the year 1870 to the year 1891, inclusive, as 1,877,977.

The Copper catch, being the skins of seals caught upon what are known
as the Commander Islands, being the islands known as Copper and
Bering islands. All the skins so caught have been sold by deponent's
firm in the city of London, and the total number of such Copper catch
from the year 1872 to 1892 appears upon the statement which is hereto
annexed and marked Exhibit B, showing the total so sold during such
years of 768,090 skins.

The Northwest catch, being the skins of seals caught in the open sea
either of the Pacific Ocean or the Bering Sea. These skins were
originally caught exclusively by the Indians and by residents of the
colony of Victoria and along the coast of the British possessions. A
statement of the total number of the catch from the year 1868 to 1884,
inclusive, is appended hereto and marked Exhibit 0, showing a total of
153,348. That statement is divided into three heads: First, the salted
Northwest coast skins; second, the dried Northwest coast skins, both
of which were mainly sold through deponent's firm in London ; and
third, salted Northwest coast skins, dressed and dyed in London, but
not sold there. It will be noticed that in the years 1871 and 1872 an
unusually large proportion of dried skins appeared to have been
marketed. Those skins were purchased in this year from the American-
Russian Company and sold when the Americans took possession. For
the years 1871 and 1872, therefore, the surplus skins over the average
for the other years should be rejected in a computation of the general
average of seals killed during the years from 1868 to 1884, inclusive.

From the year 1885 to the year 1891 the number of skins included in
the Northwest catch enormously increased, and a statement of such
skins is hereto annexed and marked Exhibit D, showing a total of
331,902, and is divided, like the statement marked Exhibit C, into three
heads: The salted Northwest coast skins, the dried Northwest coast
skins, and the salted skins dressed and dyed in London but not sold
there. The majority of the first two classes were, as in the previous
case, sold by deponent's firm. The great majority of these skins appear-
ing in the last-mentioned statement are the skins caught by vessels sent
out ft'om the Canadian provinces; many also by vessels sent out from
San Francisco, Port Townsend, and Seattle, and a few from vessels
sent out from Yokohama; the majority, however, are supposed to have

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 10

146 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

been canght by vessels sent out from British harbors. A large number
of the skins included in Exhibit D have been consigned to 0. M. Lamp-
son & Co. by the firm of Herman Liebes & Co., of San Francisco. In
estimating the total number of the Northwest catch it should also be
mentioned that something like 30,000 skins belonging to that catch have
been dressed and dyed in the United States, which have not gone to
London at all.

(e) Besides the Alaska, Copper, and Northwest skins there are also
a certain number of skins arriving in London known as the Lobos
Island skins, although the same are not handled by the firm of C. M.
Lampson & Co., but the total number of which, from the year 1872 to the
year 1801, inclusive, is, as appears from the catalogues of sales, 247,777.
The Lobos Island skins are those of seals killed on the Lobos Island,
belonging to the Republic of Uruguay; and deponent is informed and
believes that there is no open-sea sealing in the vicinity of such island,
and that the animals are protected on the island as they are on the
Eussian and Pribilof islands, by prohibition from the killing of females
and limiting the number of males killed in each year. A statement of
the seals killed on Lobos Island is hereto annexed and marked Exhibit
E, from which it appears that there is a regular annual supply obtained
from that source, which shows no diminution.

(/) There are also a certain number of skins sold in London obtained
from rookeries at or near the Cape of Good Hope, the exact number of
which deponent is not able to state, but which, he is informed, shows
a steady yield.

The statements marked A, B, C, D, and E, hereunto appended, have
been carefully prepared by me personally, and the figures therein
stated have been comjjiled by me from the several sale catalogues of
C. M. Lampson & Co., and others from my private books which I kept
during all the years covered by the statements, and I am sure that
these statements are substantially accurate and truly state the respec-
tive numbers of the skins caught and sold Avhich they purport to state.

(3) The great majority of the skins sold from the Northwest catch
are the skins of female seals. Deponent is not able to state exactly
what proportion of such skins are the skins of females, but estimates
it to be at least 85 per cent, and the skins of females are I'eadily dis-
tinguishable from those of the males by reason of the fact that on the
breast and on the belly of the bearing female there is comparatively
little fur, whereas on the skins of the male seals the fur is evenly dis-
tributed ; and also by reason of the fact that the female seal has a nar-
row head and the male seal a broad head and neck; and the skins of
this catch are also distinguishable from the Alaska and Copper catch
by reason of the fact that seals are killed by bullets or buckshot or
speared, and not, as on the Pribilof and Commander islands, by clubs.
Marks of such bullets or buckshot or spears are clearly discernable in
the skins, and there is a marked difference in the commercial value of
the female skins and of the male skins. This fact, that the Northwest
skins are so largely the skins of females, is further evidenced by the
fact that in many of the early sales of such skins they are classified in
deponent's books as the skins of females.

(4) Deponent further says, that in his judgment the absolute prohibi-
tion of pelagic sealing, i. e., the killing of seals in the open sea, whether
in the North Pacific or the Bering Sea, is necessary to the preservation
of the seal herds now surviving, by reason of the fact that most of the
females so killed are heavy with young, and that necessarily the increase
of the species is diminished by their killing. And further, from the fact
that a large number of females are killed in the Bering Sea while on

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

147

the search for food after the birth of their young, and that in conse-
quence thereof the pups die for want of nourishment. Deponent has
no personal kuowledge of the trutli of this statement, but he has infor-
mation in respect of the same from persons who have been on the Pri-
bik)f Islands, and he believes the same to be true. Deponent further
says that this opinion is based upon the assumption that the present
restriction imposed by Russia and the United States on the killing of
seals on their respective islands are to be maintained, otherwise it
would be necessary to impose such restrictions as well as to in-ohibit
l)elagic sealing in order to preserve the herds.

(5) Depcment is further of the opinion, from his long observation and
handling of the skhis of the several catches, that the skins of the
Alaska and Copper catches are readily distinguishable from each other,
and that the herds from which such skins are obtained do not in fact
intermingle with each other, because the skins classified under the
head of Oopj)er catch are not found among the consignments of skins
received from the Alaska catch, and vice versa.

(6) Deponent further says that the distinction between the skins of
the several catches is so marked, that in his judgment he would, for
instance, have had no dithculty had there been included among 100,000
skins in Alaska catch 1,000 skins of the Copper catch, in distinguishing
the 1,000 Copper skins and se])arating them from the 99,000 Alaska
skins, or that any other person Avith equal or less experience in the
handling of skins would be equally able to distinguish them. And in
the same way deponent thinks, from his own personal experience in
handling skins, that he would have no difficulty whatever in separating
the skins of the Northwest catch and the Alaska catch, by reason of the
fact that they are the skins almost exclusively of females, and also that
the fur upon the bearing female seals is much thinner than upon the
skin of the male seals, the skin of the animal while pregnant being
distended and the fur extended over a large area.

(7) Deponent says that the number of persons who are employed in
the handling, dressing, dyeing, cutting, and manufiicturing of seal
skins in the city of London is about 2,000, many of whom are skilled
laborers earning as high as £3 or £4 a week. Deponent estimates the
amount paid in the city of London for wages in the preparation of fur-
seal skins for a manufacturers use, and excluding the wages of manu-
facturers' employees, prior to the beginning of the pelagic sealing in
1885, at about £100,000 per annum; and deponent further says that in
his judgment if this pelagic sealing be not prohibited, it is but a question
of a few years, probably not more than three, when the industry wiH
cease by reason of the extermination of the seals in the same way in
which they have been exterminated on the South Sea Islands, by reason
of no restrictions being imposed upon their killing.

Alfred Fraser.

Exhibit A.
Salted Alaska fur seal shins sold in London.

Year.

Skina.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

» Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

1870

1871

1872

1S73

1874

9,965
100, 896

96, 283
101,248

90, 150

1875

1876

1877

1878

1879

99, 634
90, 267
75,410
99, 911
100, 036

1880

1881

1882

1883

1884

100, 161 :
99,921

100, 100
75,914

99, 887 -

1885

1886

1887

1888

1889

99, 719

99, 910

99, 940

100, 000

100, 000

1890

1891

Total..

5 20, 994

l a4, 158

13, 473

1, 877, 977

a Food skins.

148

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Exhibit B.

Salted Co_pper Island fur-seal skins sold in London,

Year.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Sear.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

1872

1873

7,182
21, 614
30, 349
34, 479
33, 298

1877

1878

1879

1880

1881

25, 380
19, 000
28,211
38, 885
45, 209

1882

1883

1884

1885

1886

39,111
36, 500
26, 675
48, 929
41,752

1887

1888

1889

1890

1891

54, 584

46, 333

47, 416
95, 480
17, 025

1892

Total..

30, 678

1874

1875

1876

768, 096

Exhibit C.
Salted Northwest coast fur-seal skins sold in London prior tv pelagic sealing in Bering Sea.

Year.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

1872

1873

1,029

1875

1876

1877

1,646
2,042

1878

1879

1880

264

12,212

8, 939

1881

1882

1883

9,997

11,717

2,319

1884

Total..

9,242

1874 . ...

4,949

64, 366

Salted Northwest coast fur-seal skins dressed and dyed in London {but not sold there)

taken prior to pelagic sealing in Bering Sea.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

1872

1873

1874

699

40
122

1875

1876

1877

578

1,062

772

1878

1879

1880

2,434
2,397
4,562

1881

1882

1883

5,890

11, 727

2,319

1884

Total..

9,242

46, 215

Dry Southwest coast fur-seal skins sold in London prior to pelagic sealing in Bering Sea.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

1868

2,141

1,671

684

12, 495

1872

1873

1874

1875

14, 584

891

2, 772

1,351

1876

1877

1878

1879

993

1,173

912

918

1880

1884

Total..

785

1809

1870

1871

1881

1882

1883

686
321
390

42, 767

Of the skins sold in 1871 and 1872 a very large proportion were tlie accumulation of the RussiaJi-
American Company, and sold by tbem after the purchase of Alaska by the United States.

RECAPITULATION.

Salted skins sold in London

Salted skins dressed and dyed in London.
Dry skins sold in London

Grand total.

Tears.

1872-1884
1872-1884
1808-1884

Skins.

64, 366
46,215
42, 767

153, 348

Exhibit D.

Dry Northivest coast fur-seal skins sold in London after commencement of pelagic sealing

in Bering Sea,

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skina.

1S85 ...

1,520

979

2,843

1888

1,252
228
099

1891

1,083

1880

ia^9

Total

1887

1890

8,604

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

149

Salted Northwest coast fur-seal slcius dressed and dyed in London (hut not sold there)
taken after the commencement of pelagic sealing in Bering Sea.

Tear.

Skin.s.

Tear.

Skins.

1885

16,667

15, 087

3,589

1,930

1889

2,017

1886

Total

1887

39. 290

1888

In addition to above, it is estimated that from 25,000 to 30,000 skins have been dressed and dyed in
the United States. — E. T. R., jr., notary public.

Salted Northwest coast fur-seal skins sold in London after commencement of pelagic sealing

in Bering Sea.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

1885

2,078
17, 909
30, 907
36, 818
39, 503

1886 . .

1887

1888

1889 ---

38, 315

54,180
28, 298

254, 068

RECAPITULATION.

Dry skins sold in London

Salted skins dressed and dyed in London, but not sold there.
Salted skins dressed and dyed in United States, estimated. . .
Salted skins sold in London

Grand total .

Tears.

1885-1891

1885-1889
1885-1889
1885-1892

Skins.

8,604

39, 290

30, 000

254, 068

331, 962

Exhibit E.
Safted Lolos Island fur-seal skins sold in London.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

1873

6,956
8,509
8,179
11,353
13,066
12, 301
12,295
14,865

1881

13,569
13, 200
12, 861
10, 258

10, 953
13,667

11, 068
20, 747

1889

8,755

1874

1882

1890

18,541

1875

1883

1891

15, 834

1876

1884

1892a

4,800

1877

1885

Total

1878

1886

247, 777

1879

1887 ...

1880

1888

a Xo date.

Additional deposition of Alfred Fraser, member of the firm of C. M.

Lampson & Co., furriers, London.

State of New York,

City and County of Neic York^ ss:
Alfred Fraser, being duly sworn, says: I am a member of the firm of
C. M. Lampsoii »& Co., of London, and tlie person described in and who
verified an affidavit on the 1st day of April, 1892, relating to the fur-
seal industry. The tables hereto annexed, marked A, B, (J, D, E, and
F, have been prepared by me from the printed catalogues of public auc-

150

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

tioii sales iu London of fur seal skins, and also from my private memo-
randa, and from knowledge and information of the fur-seal industry, I
believe tliem to be correct in every particular. Said tables state all of
the salted fur-seal skins of the Alaska, Cop])er, Northwest coast, and
Lobos catches, ^hich, according to the said catalogues and memoranda,
were sold at public auction iu London between the years 18G8 and 1891,
together with the average price per skin obtained during each of said
years for the aforesaid skins.

Alfred Fraser.

Exhibit A.
Salted Alaslca fur-seal skins sold in Loudon from 1870 to 1891.

Tear.

Skins.

Tear.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

1870

1871

1872

1873

9,965
100, 896

96, 283
101, 248

90, 150

1875

1876

1877

1878

1879

99, 634
90, 267
75, 410
99, 911
100, 036

1880

1881.....

1882

1883

1884

100, 161
99. 921

100, 100
75, 914
99, 887

1885

1886

1887

1888

1889

99, 719

99, 910

99, 940

100, 000

100, 000

1890

1891

Total..

■

C 20, 994

\ 4,158

13,473

1874

1, 877, 977

Exhibit B.
Salted Copper Island fur-seal skins sold in London in the years 1870 to 1892.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

1870

1871

1872

1873

1874

12, 030

9,522

7,182

21, 614

30, 349

1875.....

1876

1877

1878

1879

34, 479
33, 298
25, 380
19, 000
28, 211

1880

1881

1882

1883

1884

38, 885
45, 209
39,111
36, 500
26, 675

1885

1886

1887

1888

1889

48, 929
41, 752
54, 584
46, 333
47,416

1890

i 1891

1892

Total..

95, 486
17, 025
30, 678

789, 648

Exhibit C.
Salted Northwest coast fur-seal skins sold in London prior to pelagic sealing in Bering Sea.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

1872

1873

1,029

1875

1876

1877

1,646
2,042

1878

1879

1880

264

12, 212

8,939

1381

1882

1883

9,997

11,717

2,319

1884

Total..

9,242

1874

4,949

64, 366

1

Exhibit D.

Salted Northwest coast fur-seal skins sold in London after commencement of pelagic sealing

in Bering Sea.

Ye.ar.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

1885

2,078
17, 909
36, 907
36, 818
39, 563

1890

38, 315

1886

1891

54, 180

1887

1892 a

28, 298

1888

Total

1889

254. 068

a To March 25.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Exhibit E.
Salted Loios Island fur-seal skins sold in London.

151

Tear.

1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880

Skins.

6, 596
8,509
8,179

11, 353

13, 066

12, 301
12, 295

14, 865

Year.

1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888

Skins.

13, 569

13, 200
12,861
16, 258
10, 953
13, 667
11,068
20, 747

Tear.

Skins.

1889

1890

1891

1892 a

Total

8,755
18, 541
15, 834

4,800

247, 777

a To date.

Exhibit F.

Salted Alaska fur-seal skins sold in London in the years 1868-1871 taken prior to the

leasing of the Prihilof Islands.

Tear.

1868
1869
1870

Skins.

28, 220
121,820
110, 511

Tear.

1871.

Total .

Skins.

20,111

280, 662

The following table, prepared by Hutchinson, Kohl, Pliilipens & Co.,
of San Francisco, lessees of the right to take fur seals upon the Com-
mander and Robbeu islands, shows the number of seal skins secured
annually from these respective islands from 1871 to 1891 :

Tear.

1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
1882

Com-
roander
Islands.

3,614
29, 3.56

27, 710

28, 886
33, 152
25, 43ii
18, 584
28, 198

38, 749
45, 174

39, 314

40, 514

Robben
Island.

Total.

3,614
29, 356
30, 404

2,694

2,414

31,300

3,127

36, 279

1,528

26, 960

2, 949

21, 533

3,142

31, 340

4,002

42, 750

3,330

48, 504

4,207

43, 521

4,106

44, 620

Tear.

1883.
1884.
1885.
188G.
1887.
1888.
1889.
1890.
1891.

Total .

Com-
niaiuler
Islands.

26, 650
49, 444

41,737
54, 591
4G, 317
47, 302
52, 850
53, 780
5,800

Eobben
Island.

2, 049

3,819
1,838

Total.

28, 699

53, 263
43, 575

54, 591
46, 347
47, 3G2
52, 859
53, 780

5,800

776, 467

Tahle of annual seal-skin supply compiled from tahle of London trade sales as given by

Emil Teichmann.

Tear.

Lobos
Island.

Cape
Horn.

Northwest
catch.

Alaska
catch.

Copper
catch.

Total.

1870

684

12, 495

16, 303

981

7,843

3,575

4,097

1,945

3,607

15, 527

13, 501

16, 573

23, 207

9,544

20, 142

20, 205

33, 975

43, 339

40, 000

41, 808

9,965

100, 896
96, 283

101, 248
90,150
99, G34
90, 2G7
75,410
99,911

100, 036

100, 161

9,994

100, 100

75, 914

99, 887

99, 719

99, 910

99, 940

100, 000

100, 000

10, 649

1871

113,391

1872

7,182
21,614
30, 349
34, 497
33, 298
25, 380
19, 000
28,211
38, 885

45, 209
39,111
36, 500
26, 657
48, 929
41,752
54, 584

46, 333

47, 416

119, 7G8

1873

6,956
8,507
8,179

11, 353

13, 066
12,301

12, 295

14, 386

13, 569
13, 200
12,861
16, 258
10, 953
13, 667
11,068
20, 747

8,755

130, 749

1874

136, 851

1875

145, 867

187G

6,306

7,631

18, 227

12, 180

17, 562

13, 164

11,711

4,655

6,743

3,404

909

2,762

4,403

3,021

145, 321

1877

123, 432

1878

143, 046

1879

168, 249

1880

184, 945

1881

188, 436

1882

187, 329

1883

139, 474

1884

169, 705

1885

183, 270

1886

190, 213

1887

211,693

1888

211,483

1889

201. 000

152

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tahle of percentages of annual seal-slcin supply compiled from table of London trade sales

as given hy Emil Teichmann.

Tear.

Lobos
Islaud.

Cape
Horn.

Koitliwest
catch.

Ala.sVa
catch.

Copper
catch.

Total.

1870

0.0620
.110
.136
.1362
.0072
.0246
.0282
.0158
. 00251
.0927
.0730
.0825
.1233
.0685
.1187
.113
.1795
.2047
.1894
.2075

0. 9380
.89U
.8047
.7743
. 6830
.6204
.6113
.698
.5944
.813
.5417
.5307
.5343
.5442
. 5821
.5447
.5307
.4721
.4728
.4975

1 0000

1871

1 0000

1872

0.051
.059
.1653
. 2364
.2143
. 2578
.1363
.1677
.2103
.2451
.2097
.2616
.1631
.2684
.2143
.2578
.2190
.2359

1 0000

1873

1 0000

1874 . .

0. 05;f2
.0560
.0782
. 1054
. 0831
.0730
.0804
.0720
.0703
.0923
.0950
.5540
.0718
.0521
.0981
.0435

1 oouo

1875

1." 0000

1876

0.0440
.0018
.0575
.0722
. (1946
.0097
.0624
.0334
. 0;i32
.0196
. 0047
. 0133
.0207
.0156

1.0000

1877

1 OtiOO

1878

1 0000

1879

1. 0000

1880

1.0000

1881

1.0000

1882

1. 0000

1883

1 0000

1884

1. 0000

1885

1. 0000

1. 0000

1887

1. 0000

1. 0000

1889

1. 0000

CRUISE OF THE LOUIS OLSEN IN THE BERINa SEA.

BY A. B. ALEXANDER.

On the 25tli of May, at Seattle, I luet Capt. E. P. Miner, master of
the American sealing schooner Harry Dennis, who, on the same day,
had arrived from Japan, hi.s vessel having been wrecked on that coast.
At the time of meeting him he was endeavoring to charter another
vessel, and hoped to be in the Bering Sea by the 1st of Augnst. Inform-
ing him that the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries
was anxious that I shonld make a cruise with him should he succeed
in getting a suitable vessel, he freely consented, and informed me that
if he found out in time he would let me know by mail.

On the morning of the 28th I sailed in the Cify of Topeka for Sitka,
and from there took passage in the Orescent City for Unalaska. Soon
after arriving there I joined the Albatross, and remained by her until
the evening of the 29th of July, when I joined the sealing schooner
Louis Olscn, of Astoria, Oreg., Captain Guillams, master, who did not
for a moment hesitate about giving me a passage. My reason for
joining the Olsen was on account of not having heard from Captain
Miner as to whether he had succeeded in obtaining a vessel; I was
also informed by several sealing captains that he did not get a vessel,
and in consequence would not be in the sea. The time having arrived
when i^elagic sealing was about to commence, I was glad to accept, as
I thought, the only opportunity which would be offered for the season.

The next day, in latitude 54° 38' north, longitude 107° 04' west, we
saw our first seals, 20 in number, 12 of which were "sleepers." Seals
when sleeping are by sealers always called by the above name. In the
afternoon we saw 6 seals about half a mile from the vessel playing in
a bunch of seaweed. The sea at the time was perfectly smooth with a
light air stirring. Two hunters and myself started out in a boat to
watch them and see how near we could approach without disturbing
them. We soon learned that they were unusually tame, as we approached
near enough to touch one with a spear pole which was in the boat. They
showed little signs of fear, notwithstanding that we were within 30 feet
of them for fully five minutes. Diving under the seaweed and sud-

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 153

denly tlirnstin.G: tlieir Leads up tliroufj^li it seemed to afford them g:reat
pleasure. KoUiiig over and over in the seaweed, tlieir flip})ers becom
iiig tangled in it, was also a pleasant enjoyment. They paid but little
attention to us and seemed almost indifferent as to how r.ear we
approached so long as we did so quietly. This caused the hunters to
exclaim several times, "If we only had a gun we could kill them all."
Under the circumstances it was but natural that a gun should be the
uppermost thought in their minds.

Early in the spring, both on the Northwest coast and off the coast
of Japan, seals are sometimes found which evince little signs of fear,
but after one day's shooting on the ground they become very wild and
mistruslful, ar.d, like a crow and some land animals, seem to scent a gun
in the air. On this particular occasion a kodak camera would have
given good results — it was one opportunity of a thousand.

The following day, 31st, seals were plentiful. The wind being light
during the previous night, our position had changed but little.

On August 1, at a very early hour, the spears were brought forth and
the seal on them broken. While this was going on many remarks were
made in regard to the first day's trial. Some of the hunters were already
discouraged and were confident that they were only wasting time by
attempting to use spears; the thought of being obliged to adoi)t the
primitive weapon of the Siwash was indeed humiliating to them. A
few on board felt more hopeful and were willing to give the spear a fair
trial. Ever since leaving Unalaska the hunters had been i^racticing at
throwing the spear pole. Every piece of floating seaweed or other
object wliich came within range had been a target. On several occa-
sions the boats had been lowered and a supply of chips and small
pieces of wood taken along. These w^ere thrown ahead of the boat as
targets to throw at. It was soon found that an object that could be
easily hit at a distance of 25 or 30 feet from the vessel was not so easily
reached from a boat, as the smallest wave would cause her to move just
enough to cause the pole to go wide of its mark. A day's practice
throwing from the boats had the effect of teaching the hunters the
various ways of holding the spear to make more sure of its hitting the
mark under the many conditions of sea and wind. All this time spear
throwing had been carried on with lifeless objects for a mark. The
opportunity was about to present itself to exhibit skill in throwing at
something that if missed the first time would not be likely to remain
stationary long enough to give the marksman another trial. A cool
head and steady nerves would be the special requirements to insure a
successful day's hunt should seals be plentiful.

The 1st day of August did not prove a success, so far as sealing was
concerned, the weather being too foggy to send out the boats. Scat-
tering seals were observed all day, but they were all " travelers;" that
is, they were all moving in various directions. Our noon position was
latitude 56° 11' north, longitude 172° 01' west. The next day seals
were less numerous, jSToue were observed in the forenoon ; in the after-
noon 12 were seen; all but one were traveling to the westward. This
individual was asleep; a boat was quickly lowered and the hunter on
watch was rowed toward it. Before the boat had covered half the dis-
tance the seal sliowed signs of waking, and shortly after, becoming
aware of approaching danger, it disappeared. Our noon position on
this day was latitude 57° 21' north, longitude 1 73° 46' west. Seals here
were not so plentiful as they were farther south. In the afternoon we
hove to and caught two cod in 65 fathoms of water. No more seal life
was observed until the afternoon of the following day, when two sleep-

154 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

ing- seals were siglited, latitude 57"^ 50' north, longitude 173° 48' west.
Five bouts were sent out. They returned at 5 p. m., having- taken
no seals, although 8 had been seen, but they were all " travelers."
Heavy fog and strong indications of the wind breezing up fresh caused
the boats to return earlier than they otherwise would. In the evening,
the vessel being hove to, several seals came close alongside. They
seemed to be very curious to know what we were. All the spears on
board Avere repeatedly thrown at them, but they had the good sense to
keep just out of range. Whistling had the effect of enticing them close
aboard, but the sight of a spear or two being aimed at them would cause
them, without any apparent effort, to increase their distance by 20 or
more feet.

The first seal captured by the Olsen was on August 4, in latitude 57°
50' north, longitude 173° 48' west, the same i:)osition recorded on the
previous day. At 8.45 a. m. sail was made, and at 10.45 the boats were
lowered, two "sleepers" having been seen. The weather being foggy
the boats were soon lost to sight. The vessel was hove to, it being
nuich easier for the boats to keep the bearing of the vessel than for
the vessel to keep track of the boats.

As soon as the boats had left a hand line was put over in 70 fathoms
of water. An hour's fishing resulted in 18 cod. Their average weight,
as near as could be judged, was 12 jwunds; the largest weighed not far
from 30 pounds. All but two of the cod were in a healthy condition.
These two had sores on their backs about the size of a half dollar, which
had eaten nearly to the backbone. This instance is mentioned here on
account of the part of the fish where the sores were. In both cases
they were situated near the neck, directly over the vertebra; they were
as round and smooth as if cut with a knife.

Notwithstanding that the fog did not lift during the day, the boats
remained out until 9 p. m. The result of the day's hunt was 12 se«,ls —
4 males and 8 females. One of the seals had previously been speared
in one of its flippers, as it was nearly severed from its body, showing
that the seal must have had a hard strnggle to free itself. The largest
number of seals caught for this first day's successful hunt was taken
by two boats, they bringing in five each; two other boats captured one
each, and the remaining two boats brought in nothing. The hunters
in these boats, on learning that 12 seals had been captured, indulged in
strong language at their nonsuccess.

About 50 seals had been observed from the boats, the most of which
were awake. Only an occasional individual liad been seen during the
day from the vessel, the fog being too dense to see more than an eighth
of a mile.

In no single instance was the first seal speared at captured ; it was
only after repeatied attempts by each hunter that one was hit. The
excitement caused by the desire on the j)art of each to be the first
to capture a seal, combined with the inexperience of throwing the
primitive weapon, was no doubt the chief cause of the poor results.
The eight females captured were all nursing seals; but little food was
found in their stomachs, and that was too much digested to tell what
it consisted of; it was, however, placed in alcohol.

In the evening, after the seals had been skinned and everything made
snug for the night, each hunter told his experience during the day,
which, as may be supposed, was more entertaining than instructive.

On the 5th the wind and weather were not suitable for sealing; a
very fresh southeast wind i^revailed, and in order to keep our present
position the vessel was hove to under easy sail. A large number of

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 155

seals was noticed; tliey were frequently seen playing about, sometimes
on the crest of a wave, and then in tlie hollow of a sea. They seem-
ingly had no tixed course, but would swim in one direction a half a
mile or so, return and go in an opposite way. It is more than likely,
had the wind been blowing a strong gale, they would all have been
bound in one direction. The wind continued fresh, with a rough, choppy
sea, until the following noon, when the fog which had come in during
the night lifted and the wind suddenly subsided into a calm. The boats
were put in readiness and sent out for an afternoon's hunt. Consider-
ing the state of the sea and the time of starting, a fair afternoon's work
was done, 19 seals being landed on deck by 8.30 p. m. Fifteen of the
number were cows and 4 males. Only 6 had food in their stomachs.
Every hunter reported seals numerous, about half of the number being-
asleep. They slept in bunches of 6 and 8, and when aroused from their
slumber were very tame, but owing to the inexperience of the hunters
with spears in a comparatively rough sea, the successful throws were few
and far between. Had the hunters been provided with shotguns instead
of spears, it is pretty safe to say that a hundred or more seals would have
been nearer the day's catch. To be compelled to see seals escape that
coiild easily have iDeen killed with a shotgun brought forth from both
hunters and boat crews loud and imprecatory language upon the heads
of all those who were instrumental in prohibiting the use of firearms in
the Bering Sea. These men had not been used to seeing their prey get
away so easily, and to them the sight was more than exasperating.
During the absence of the boats a large number of traveling seals had
been seen from the vessel and also an occasional '' sleeper." One of the
latter was observed close aboard a little on our lee. It evidently was
sleeping soundly, for neither the slatting of the sails nor the blowing
of the fog horn had the effect of awaking it, and it was only when the
scent of the vessel reached its nostrils that it showed signs of life.
After being fully aroused it did not exhibit any great signs of alarm,
but played about not far off for some time. It seldom happens that a
seal will show such indifference to its surroundings as this one. The
captain and mate said they had never in all their experience seen a seal
so tame. The general opinion on board was that it was due to there
being no firearms used or hunting allowed in the Bering Sea for the
past few years that caused the seals thus far observed to show so little
fear of man.

The highest catch for any one single day was taken on the 7th. The
day commenced with a gentle breeze from the south, and a smooth sea.
A light fog hung low over the water which prevented the boats from
being seen more than 20 yards. At 8 a. m. the last boat shoved off, and
they were not seen again until evening. Noon position : Latitude, 58*^
30' north; longitude, 173° 5G' west. In the^forenoon hand-line fishing
was carried on. The depth of water here was 60 fathoms. Six good-
sized cod were caught in quick succession; 2 males and 4 females.
Their stomachs were well filled with food. In the stomach of a large
female was found an octopus; it had been recently swallowed, as its skin
showed no discoloration. Cod were abundant; we could have filled the
decks in a day's fishing with a single line. The abundance of cod may
have been the cause of seals being plentiful in this region. In the
evening the boats all returned nearly at the same time, bringing in 34
seals, 30 of which were females. Twenty-four of the number had food
in their stomachs. The material, however, was finely masticated, and
hard to identify, but a portion of it looked very much like the flesh of
cod. If a portion of the food was cod, the question arises, did the seals

156 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

dive to tlie bottom in 60 fathoms of -u-ater aiul bring their prey to the
surface? As a rule cod are found very close to the bottom, especially iu
deep water; in shallow places they are sometimes found nearer the sur-
face. It is not probable that seals in this region found an abundance
of cod or even scattering ones near the surface. Just how deep a seal
can dive and secure food is a mooted question. Mr. Henry Elliott gives
them credit of being able to dive to profound depths. The writer has
conversed with a good many sealers on the subject, but has never been
able to gather any reliable information. Sealers as a rule are not a very
observing class of men, for the reason that their interest is all centered
in the commercial side of the question, and think little of the habits or
other i)eculiari ties of seal life. The most satisfactory evidence the writer
ever had that seals are deep divers was two years ago on the Fairweather
Ground, a large bank off the coast of Alaska, while on a cruise in the
revenue-cutter Gorwin. We were about to return to the ship at the end
of a successful afternoon's hunt, when a large bull suddenly came up
close to our canoe, not over 30 feet away, with a very large red rockfish
in its mouth, which it immediately proceeded to devour. The fish was
alive and could be plainly seen struggling in the seal's mouth. Our
position at the time was some 75 or 80 miles offshore from Yakutat
Bay. We had no means of ascertaining the depth of the water, but it
could not have been much less than 100 fathoms. Eed rockfish is also
a species that generally swims close to the bottom, although like cod it
is possible that they sometimes feed near the surface. The writer does
not maintain that .seals can go to the bottom in 100 fathoms of water,
but thinks they can dive much deeper tlian is generally sui)posed.

All the hunters on this day reported seals plentiful, but could find
very few asleep. Had the sun been shining it is safe to say that the
majority of those with food in their stomachs would have slept during
a greater part of the day, for, as a rule, seals with full stomachs sleep
when the sun is out, the air warm, and the sea smooth or comparatively
so. Their time of sleejiing, however, is not always when conditions are
favorable, for after a gale of long duration they are frequently seen
asleep when the air is cold and the sea nncommonly high. At such
times seals are completely exhausted. It is not an infrequent sight
during the winter and spring months, at the end of a long and heavy
gale, to see seals sleeping soundly in a snowstorm, with that por-
tion of the body out of the water covered with snow. In consequence
of the seals on this day being restless, a great many of the 34 taken
were what is known to sealers as "finners," that is, seals about half
asleep, rolling about and scratching themselves. Sometimes "fluners"
are hard to approach, and at other times very easy. A restless one will
try very hard to take a nap, but just as he gets comfortably fixed some-
thing disturbs him; holding; its head up he will take a look all around,
as if danger was scented in the air. These are hard to capture with
spears.

Indians seldom pay any attention to moving seals when hunting with
spears; they think it a waste of time. White hunters, when they can
find no sleeping seals, frequently give chase to "finners" and "travel-
ers," and in many cases are rewarded for their trouble. The hunters
on the Olsen soon found that few seals would be taken on certain days
if they only selected sleeping ones. Many haphazard throws were
made at swimming and finning seals, the majority of which were fail-
ures, but enough good shots were made to make the experiment a pay-
ing one.

For several days seals had been observed chasing some kind of fish,

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 157

and during this last day's hunt they were quite plentiful. Only a single
individual would be seen; it would dart first in one direction and then
in another, and occasionally would make a desi)erate leap out of water.
Presently a seal would be noticed not far off swimming- as rapidly and
in as many different directions as the fish. On the day in question, two
seals were speared, just as they came to the surface, each with one of
these fish in its mouth. The seals did not relinquish their hold when
speared, but kept a firm grip until knocked on the head. The speci-
mens proved to be Alaskan pollock. In both cases the specimens of
fish secured were brought up by large males; one was somewhere
between 8 and 10 years of age.

The two following days, 8tli and 9th, the weather was too boisterous
for sealing; wind southeast and every indication of a gale. We lay to
under the foresail in order to keep as near our present position as pos-
sible. A heavy sea set in from the westward, but the wind did not
increase above a strong breeze. Scattering seals were about each day,
all traveling to the westward. From observation we learned that dur-
ing stormy weather seals traveled in an opposite direction to the wind.
In a gale it will be found that seals are far more numerous on the lee
side of the Pribilof Islands than to the windward of them. When the
wind is heavy and the sea rough seals as a rule travel from the seal
islands directly to leeward or nearly so. Just how much the wind
changes the course of the main body of seals would be hard to say,
but so far as our investigations extended, in connection with the travel-
ing herd which came under our notice, we are inclined to think that
seals within 100 miles of the seal islands, bound to the feeding grounds,
will in most cases seek the grounds to the leeward of the group. Seals
in a gale take every advantage of wind and sea. It is necessary that
they should, for there is evidently a limit to their endurance.

On the morning of the 10th light winds prevailed, but a choppy sea,
combined with a long rolling swell from the west-southwest, rendered
it unfit for sealing, although scattering seals had been noticed. Two
days of idleness had made everybody on board anxious to get out in
the boats. In the afternoon the wind fell to a calm, and the boats were
put over in latitude 58° 27' north, longitude 172° 46' west, and remained
out until evening, bringing in only three seals. Very few were seen
from the boats, although they covered considerable ground during the
day. Seals were equally scarce in the vicinity of the vessel; only six
were observed. One of these, more bold than the rest, kept circling
around the vessel, coming nearer each time. Finding that it was inclined
to be inquisitive, it was encouraged to make further investigations as
to what we were by continual whistling by those on board. It was
finally enticed alongside and captured, the spear passing tlirough one
of its hind flippers. A series of photographs showing all the diiferent
positions the seal was in during its struggle for liberty would have been
valuable. It fought bravely for life while in the water, but on being
hauled on board its power was greatly lessened. It did not, however,
give up without a desperate struggle to regain its liberty. At one
period of the fight it drove everybody from the main deck, and it was
only when a noose was thrown over its neck and its head hauled down
to a ring bolt that terms of peace could be made, which was by knock-
ing in on the head. The catch of seals for the day was 4 — 3 females and
1 male; the total catch to date 60 — 13 males and 56 females.

The next day (11th) the boats made an early start. Everything
looked favorable for a good day's hunt, the wind being light and the
sea smooth, two things which are almost indispensable in seal hunting.

158 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

No seals had been noticed during the morning, but it does not neces-
sarily follow that because none are observed from the vessel they are
not about, for frequently it happens that good catches are made when
not a seal has been seen from the vessel. This was not one of those
exceptional days; 13 was the catch — 3 males and 10 cows. Seals had
been comparatively plentiful, but were not inclined to sleep and were
too wild to approach. A piece of an Alaskan pollock was brought in
by one of the hunters, it having been taken from a seal's mouth in the
same manner as the two others previously described. The shape of an
Alaskan pollock would indicate it to be a fish that could easily escape
from a seal. It may be, however, that seals do not select a single lish,
but give chase to a body of them after the manner of whales, sword-
fish, and sharks, and out of many succeed in capturing one or more.
The reason for seals seen on this day being so wild could be accounted
for only in one way, they having had little to eat. The stomachs of
those taken fully corroborated this theary. A series of trials were
made for bottom fish, but with negative results; we seemed to be
drifting over barren ground. The noon position on this day was oT'^
42' 38" north latitude; 172o 52' west longitude.

Our pleasant weather was about to be broken for a considerable
length of time, for on the 12th the day began with a gale from the
southeast, accompanied by a heavy sea. Lay hove to under single-
reefed foresail and trysail. In the afternoon spoke with the schooner
Teresa^ of San Francisco; also saw the schooner Kate, of Victoria,
British Columbia, a short distance away. Seals frequently seen all
through the day. In the early part of the night the wind increased to
a heavy gale, and in the latter part the wind decreased in force and
hauled to the west-southwest. A heavy sea kept up all day. In the
forenoon a vessel was sighted low on the horizon. An occasional seal
observed; i^halaropes numerous.

August 14: Weather pleasant, but wind fresh from the westward.
In the evening boarded the schooner Fawn, of Victoria, British Colum-
bia. She reported losing a boat and three men on the 11th. (They
were afterwards picked up.) The Fawn had an Tudiau crew and had
taken 20 skins in the sea. This news gave our hunters considerable
encouragement. Position, latitude 57° 37' north; longitude 173° 14'
west.

August 15 : Pleasant weather in the early part of the day, but very
squallv in the latter part; sea rough. Latitude 57° 11' north; longi-
tude 173° 09' west.

August IG : Variable weather ; clear in the morning, thick and squally
in tlie afternoon; sea very rougli. But few seals seen. Noon position,
latitude 57° 04' north; longitude 172° 30' west.

August 17: At 7 a. m, made sail and ran to the southward; wind
northwest and fresh, gradually decreasing to a light breeze in after-
noon. A heavy fog came in later in the day. Position, latitude 56° 54'
north; longitude 172° 45' west. Continued on our course until 8 a. m.
the next day, at which time saw a seal *' finning " close by. A boat was
quickly manned and started in pursuit, but the seal was on the alert
and soon increased tlie distance between itself and enemy. Shortly
after this a "sleeper-' was noticed not far off on the weather bow,
Another boat was hoisted out, which was silently rowed toward tho
coveted prize. No attempt was made by the hunter to throw the spear
until the boat was within 20 feet of it. It was easily captured. When
opened its stomach was found to be well filled with food, which no
doubt was the cause of its sleeping so soundly.

ALASKA IN1>USTRIES. 159

I^ater in tlie day all the boats went out, but returned at the end of
three hours with only one seal. Tlie sea was sntootli and but little
wind stirring, but the air grew suddenly cbilly and the sky very cloudy,
which practically put an end to the chances of seals sleeping for the
day. On this particular occasion tlie hunters were very much dis-
gusted on account of not having shotguns. They claimed that with
guns the day's catch at the least calculation would have been between
00 and 70 seals, instead of the small number of two. On a day like
this, when seals showed no inclination to sleep, shotguns in the hands
of skillful hunters Avould have done very destructive work to the seal
herd, for experienced hunters kill nearly if not quite as many traveling
seals during the course of a season as sleeping ones. In the early his-
tory of pelagic sealing hunters sought sleeping seals only, but they
have learned the movements of the seal so thoroughly that traveling
and finning seals are almost as desirable as sleeping ones.

Hand-line fishing avus carried on from the vessel in 00 fathoms of
water. In one hour 10 cod were caught, their average weight being
about 9 pounds. It was estimated that the largest would weigh 30
pounds, the smallest 4 pounds. In their stomachs were found small
starfish, praw^us, squid, medusa?, and a quantity of decomposed fish,
all of which was saved.

Unfortunately this was our last day's hunt. From this time on we
had stormy weather andheavy gales. Eighty-four seals had been taken,
16 males and 68 females. All the females were nursing cows, except
one, which was a yearling. The last seal caught by the Olsen was taken
in latitude oQ^ 05' north, longitude 172^ 17' west.

Early in the morning of the 19th the weather was pleasant, with indi-
cations of its being a suitable day for sealing, but shortly after the wind
began to freshen from the southeast, gradually increasing in force and
hauling to the westward. Lay to under a double-reefed foresail; heavy
squalls at times. Noon position, latitude 55° 39' north, longitude 172°
12' west.

August 20: Heavy gale from the northwest; very high sea running.
Ean before the wind for three hours, hoping to run out of the heaviest
part of the gale, but no perceptible difference was felt. Lay hove to
until 10 p. m., at which time again kept off before the wind and ran
until 10 a. m. the next day. About this time saw several seals, and
soon after ran close to a bunch of seals, five in number, all huddled
together. It was evident that they were vv^ell tired out, or else they
would not have been asleep in such weather. Position, latitude 54°
38' north, longitude 168° 01' west. In the afternoon sighted several
vessels.

On the 22d bore away for Unimak Pass; wind north-northwest and
blowing a gale, followed by a heavy sea. On the morning of the 23d
sighted the lower part of Akutan Island, the top of it being enveloped
in a heavy fog. All through the day seals were plentiful, many of which
were asleep. During the past few days enough seals had been seen to
cause a vessel to lay by and wait until the weather should moderate.
The captain thought that bad weather had set in for the fall, and
accordingly had made up his mind to go home. A mistake was made
in this decision, for after we had left the sea and were on our way home
good catches were being made by all the vessels that remained.

At 6 o'clock in the evening we had left Unimak Pass behind us, and
were standing on an east by south course. The next day, when about
75 miles from the pass, saw a sleeping seal, and 10 miles farther on saw
two more. When about 200 miles offshore salmon were noticed jump-

160

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

ing. They were so near that we could hardly mistake the species.
Whales were also plentiful.

For the first two or three days after leaving the sea the weather was
pleasant, but during the greater ijart of the voyago home heavy gales
from the westward prevailed, which made the captain all the more con-
fident that no mistake had been made by leaving so early.

On the evening of the 6th of September we arrived at Victoria, hav-
ing been twelve days on the voyage home.

The writer was very kindly treated by the captain, officers, and crew
of the OLscn, every effort being made by them to lend assistance and
collect such material as was desired. Had the Olsen been among seals
under favorable circumstances, as many vessels were, the writer could,
with the assistance of the kindly disposed crew, have gathered consid-
erable material; but we were one of the unfortunate ones. It was
subsequently learned that during the time we were having exceedingly
stormy weather — otten hove to in a gale — many vessels of the fleet that
were several degrees farther south were having pleasant weather and
getting good catches every day.

Seals ialcen in the Bering Sea hy the schooner Louis Olsen, 1894,

Position.

Number.

Male.

Date,

North lati-
tude.

West longi-
tude.

Female.

Am' 4 ................................

0 / "

57 50 00

58 30 00
58 30 00
58 27 00
57 42 38
50 05 00

0 / /'

173 48 00
173 5G 00
173 50 00
172 40 00
172 52 00
172 17 00

12
19
34

4
13

2

4
4
4
1
3

8

6

15

7

30

10

3

11

10

18

2

Total

84

16

68

[Statistics compiled by H. H. Mclntyre, 1889.]

Seal skins landed at Victoria from Bering Sea, aa shown by the VicfoHa custom-house

records.

Schooner.

1881.

1882.

1883.

1884.

1885.

1880.

1887.?

1888.

1889.

Ran T)iftfn ^ ATnftTiP.an^ ............

193

327

908

980
1,700
1,409

1.726

1,187

AIpx a.Tid Ottf^r ^ Aiiifirimii^ ..........

Marv KHrii CRritish^

1,773
1,244
1, 953
1,100
1,385

3,559
1,420
1,600

2,130
1,349
1,187

700

^^^avo^if■,e) fHritisli) ... ...........

3,492

182

2,000

1,700

(?)

2,200
1,455

328
1,700
1,000
1,338
1,142
1, 600
1,700

194

6;!0

1,887
50?
900
440?
636

S'zed.

'i.'oio'

1,700

Amiifi ^Amftrican^ ... . ....

650

Svlvia Haiidv /A^merioRiil _ ........

C14

Dolphin (British, now American, J. G.

Alfi'fid A*la.nia /Tiriti.sh now tho TjilvJ

990
2,377

705
800

55

Pathfinder (British)

50

S'zed.
S'z"d.
S'zed.
1,2H2

024
1, 000
1, 025

500
2,507
S'zed.

W. P. Say ward (British)

Grace (British now the J. H. Lewis) ..

"i.'osi'

780

l.COO

PftTiploTie ^Britlnli^ ...

1,850

TVfflrv '^r?! vlor Miritisii^ ............

Tvato Miriti'ihl .

'2,'470'

911

00

T ntti« li^nirHidd Mlritish^

Ada (British)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.
Seal skina landed at Victoria from Bering Sea, etc. — Continued.

161

Schooner.

1881.

1882.

1883.

1884.

1885.

1886.

1887. »

1888.

1889.

.Tnniota fT^ritishl

1,030
715
2, 000
1, 424
450
520
500
400
380

\nTiiPi D Moore ^Britlsb)..............

1 300

Viva ( Hritisli) .....................

2' 180

1 29C

A(if"l<* fCrftrrnaii^ ................

1,350?

1 600

AVpl)sier f AinftT'ioan) ..................

.

AlliftiT A lo't*!' ^ A_nifirionii) . .........

400?

284

!Nr<^wtoTi ^ AmBrioaii) f Vf iiti.ir6l .........

239

»T fr Swan f American) . .............

60

700

Sannhire ( iiritiahi ...

1 629

Lilly (British)

74

Ariel ( British)

1,316

^Minnie f liritisli) .....................

521

Beatrice (British)

700

700

Liillv L ^Aniericani

800

1 537

550

96

Total

193

327

908

4,089

9,181 '27. '240

■22, 331

15, 097

23 066

Skins seized by the Uuited States,

2,000
29,240

12,000a

2,500

Grand total .....................

193

327

908

4,089 1 9. 1R1

34,331

15, 097

25 566

oActual number of skins seized. li,618 or 11,902. See page 337 United States counter case. — J. S. B.

Note. — The interrogation point ( ?) following ligares in 1887 column indicates doubt as to the correct-
neBS of the report.

Number of Victoria and Nortliiveat Coast fur- seal shins sent to market from 18S1 to 18S9,

inclusive.

Tear.

1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889

Bering

Sea
skins.

193

327

908

4,089

9,181

29, 240

34, :!31

15, 097

25, 566

North
Pacific
skins.

16,380

22, 880

8,180

16, 053

11, 184

4,735

8,908

24, 801

20, 580

Total.

16, 573

23, 207
9,094
20, 142
20, 365
33, 975
43, 239
39, 898
46,146

The above totals are believed to be very nearly correct, having- been
compiled from the London catalogues of sales, but the numbers caught,
respectively, in Bering Sea and the ISTorth Pacific are not deflnitely
known. The catch of the North Pacific has been ascertained by deduct-
ing the number reported from the Victoria custom-house records as
having been taken in Bering Sea from the total number sold iu Loudon.

It will be noticed that nearly in proportion as tlie Bering Sea catch
increased, that of the iS^orthern Pacific decreased; and, that while the
total catch of 1888, following the seizures and repression of 1887, was
not very materially less, the proportion taken from Bering Sea was mii«h
smaller than in the preceding and following year.

The inference may be clearly drawn thnt to the extent to which illicit
sealing is suppressed in Bering Sea, it will be more active in the North
Pacific, and that the simple closure of the former body of water against
marauders will do little toward the eftective protection of seal life.
H. Doc. 9l>, pt. 2 11

162

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Value of Victoria, British Columbia, sealing vessels, estimated by A. R. Milne, esq.,
surveyor of the port of Victoria, and T. T. Williams, of San Francisco, August, 18S9.

Schooner.

Mary Taylor. . . .

Patlifindor

Viva

Mary Ellen

Triumph No. 1..

Favorite

Kate

Aurora

Minnie

Sapphire

Winifred .^

Blk Diamond . . .

Lily

Penelope

Maggie Mac

W. P. Say ward..

Juniata.

Annie C. Moore.

Theresa

A riel

Mountain Chief.

Wanderei'

Triumph No. 2. .
Lotetia

Total

Owner's name.

Came, Munsie & Co.

do

do

D. McLean

H.C. Baker & Co....

C. Spring

do

Not known

H. J acobson

Marvin &Co

McDolan

A. Frank

no

Gray & Moses

Dod'd &Co

Lundberg & Co...

Hall & Geo pel

Moore & Hackett.
Babbington & Co.

Buckman

Indians

Paxton &Co

Muir Bros

Indians

Milne's
valuation.

$8, 000

10, 000

12, 000

8,000

14, 000
8,000

7. 000
8.0U0
8,500

15, 000
2, .500
9,500

8, 500
10, 000
10, 000

8,000
6,000
15, 000
10, 000
9,000
3,000
3,000
3,000
2,000

"Williams's
valuation.

$4, 500

10, 000

12, 000

6,000

14,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

8,500

15, 000

2,500

5,000

5,000

10, 000

7,000

8,000

3,000

15, 000

10, 000

9,000

1,000

1,000

1,750

100

I

Crew.

Tonnage.

a 200, 500 6173,350

43
66
92
63
98
80
58
41
46

124
13
82
69
70
71
60
40

113
63
90
23
16
15
28

1,464

White.

Indian.

5

22

22

22

22

30

7

5

4

4

6

5

5

5

20

21

5

5

22

20

21

261

30
30
24
30
40
10
36
38

28
28

20
20
15
20

389

a Actual result, $198,000.

6 Actual result, $171,350.

Slight errors a]) pear to have been made in footing the above, but the
totals are as reported respectively by Milne and Williams.

The above estimates include cost of outUt for a season's cruise, com-
prising boats, guns, spears, ammunition, provisions, etc.

The schooner Araunah, formerly belonging to the Victoria sealing
fleet, was seized by the Russian Government July 1, 1888.

Mr. Milne estimates the cost of a sealing venture as follows:

Wages of crews and liuuters per vessel $7, 000

Insurance, 7 per cent of $8,000 560

Provisions, salt, ammunition, etc 3, 000

Total per vessel, average 10, 560

He also estimates the annual average catch at 2,000 skins per ves-
sel, but as a matter of fact the average has been for Victoria vessels
during the last four years only about 1,288 skins per vessel annually.

Mr. Williams estimates the expense of a sealing trip as follows :

J"'orfive boats $500

Five ]\Iarlin rifles, at $35 175

Five shotsiuns, at $35 175

Twf> extra guns 70

Salt for skins 200

Five thousand rounds of ammunition 125

Insurance, one-third of a year 175

Captain's wages four months 400

Ten men at $35, and 5 at $20 per mouth 1, 800

Paid hunters, 1,600 skins at $2 per skin 3, 200

Provisions, 20 men 4 month s at $8 per month 640

Total per vessel, average 7,460

ALASKA mnUSTRTES. lf)3

The annual average price paid for seal skins in Victoria from 1881 to
1889, inclusive, is as follows:

Per 8kin.

1881 $9.25

1882 8.00

1883 10.00

General average, $7.53 per akin

Per skin. Per skin.
1884 $7.75 1887 $5.50

1885 7.50 1888 5.62

1886 7.65 1889 6.50

It will be observed that the price of Victoria and Northwest coast
skins has decreased. This has resulted from the fact that it was found
by the London dressers that the skins of seals taken indiscriminately,
chiefly from females, in the water, did not compare favorably with those
taken irom carefully selected young males on the islands.

On the basis of the foregoing figures, the value of the fur-seal trade,
as conducted by the Canadians, is surprisingly small. Their annual
catch at present prices is worth about 1 125,000, and the highest esti-
mated value of the tonnage engaged is only $200,000 — amounts incom-
parably small in i)roportion to the loss that would be sustained by the
United States and England in case the seal fisheries were broken up,
as will inevitably result if the Canadian manner of killing is continued.

The following is extracted from the report of United States Consul
Stevens, of Victoria, British Columbia, to the Department of State, in
June, 1889:

Since the beginning of the present decade the hunting of the fur seal has been
vigorously pursued from this port. There are some 21 vessels, varying from 26 to
126 tons register (an aggregate tonnage of 1,737 tons), employing 458 men, and
valued at about $126,000, engaged in hunting the fur seal. These vessels, some of
them having small steam power, leave here about the Ist of January and proceed
southward, returning in May and landing the skins, taking some of them as far south
as San Diego, Cal., and along the coast up. They again leave for the north, going as
far as the Bering Sea, returning in September. The total catch for 1888 amounted to
26,720 skins, much smaller than for recent previous years. Of these, 14,987 were
reported as "the Bering Sea collection," the distinctive name given to those taken
far north, in the neighborhood of the Aleutian Islands, and claimed to be finer furs
than any other.

These skins are sold here in bundles, salted to preserve them, and they may be
kept many months in that condition without injury. Ordinarily sales are made at
80 much per skin for the lot ; sometimes, however, they are sold in assortments of
males, females, and pups, the average price for the latter being $6 per skin. They
are shipped from here to London, where they are dressed and dyed, paying a duty
when they reach the United States, as they mostly do, of 30 per cent on their then
value of about $22,50 per skin.

During these years (1886-87) some eight of these vessels were seized in the north-
em waters by the United States revenue cutters for violation of the law of .Tuly,
1870, " to prevent extermination of fur-bearing animals." No seizures were made
ial88&

164 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Fioforia and Northwest coast fur-seal skins sold and dressed in London.
tCompiled by Mr. Alfred Fraaer, of the house of Messrs. C. M. Lampson & Co.]

Year.

Dry skins
sold.

Salted
skins sold.

Dressed for
owners.

Total.

1868

2,141
1,671

684
12, 495
14,584

891
2,772
1,351

993
1,173

912

918

2,141
1 671

1869

1870

684

1871

12, 495

16, 312

931

1872

1,029

699

40

122

578

1,062

772

2,434

2,397

4,562

5,890

11, 159

6,385

10, 115

16, 667

15, 087

3,589

1,930

1873

1874

4,949
1,646
2,042

7,843
3,575
4,097
1 945

1875

1876

1877

1878

264

12,212

8,939

0,997

11, 727

2,319

9,242

2,078

17, 909

36, 907

36, 816

3 610

1879

15 527

1880

13 501

1881

686

321

1^90

785

1,520

979

2,843

1,252

16 573

1882

23 207

1883

9 094

1884

a 20 142

6 20, 365
e 33 975

1886

d43 239

1888

e 39, 998
46, 146

49, 361

158, 076

83,488

337,071

• Betained in United States (estimate).

b + 3,000 = 23,365. c + 3,000 = 36,975.

NoTB. — ^Indians dried the skins.

d-(- 3,000 = 40,239.

« + 3,000 = 42,000.

During the past four years, say from 1885 to 1888, about 3,000 Bering
Sea and Victoria skins have been annually dressed and dyed in the
United States, and must be added to the above.

The large number of dry skins sold in 1871-72 doubtless consisted in
part of the stock of the Russian- American Company taken before the
cession of the Territory, and held in their warehouse at Sitka.

Adding to the above grand total 337,071

Skins dressed in the United States, as above stated 12,000

349, 071
And deducting those from the Russian- American Company's stock of 1867.. 24, 000

Makes total killing in the waters of the North Pacific and Bering Sea, from

1868 to 1889 325,071

That this number should be considerably more than doubled to rep-
resent the total illegitimate destruction of seal life has been so frequently
repeated and so thoroughly proved as to need no further proof or
demonstration.

It is worthy of note that of the above 325,071 skins, 203,865 have
been taken within the last six years in constantly increasing nuuibers,
except during the year 1888 following the seizures and repression of
1887.

Sealing vessels (echoonera) fitted out in 1889 under the American flag.

Sylvia Handy.
Allie J. Alger.
J. G. Svran.
Venture.
Henry Dennis.

San Jose.
Lily L.
MoUie Adams.
Bessie Renter.
Challenge.

Lottie.

Mary Deleo.

O. S. Fowler.

City of San Diego.

Adouia.

Caroline.

Adele (German).

MariedelasCruzesCf)

Alexiiiuler.

Webster.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

165

Decrease in size of Pribilof Island seal skins, 1885-1889.
[Compiled by Mr. Alfrocl Fraser, of Messrs. C. M. Lampson & Co., of London.!

1889.

Large middling.s

Middlings

Middlings and smalls...

Smalls

Large pups

Middling pups

Small pups

Extra small pups

Extra extra small pups.

Total

Average
weight.

1885.

1886.

1887.

1888.

Lbs. oz.

19 0

149

133

29

2

15 0

1,811

1,173

696

177

12 2

5,300

4,875

2,254

2,318

9 13

20, 664

13, 318

8,950

9,298

8 4

34, 270

28, 578

23, 178

18, 305

7 0

25, 207

30, 910

35, 591

36, 669

G 0

10, 684

17, 045

24, 814

29, 239

5 4

1,291

3,857

4,426

3,962

4 0

99, 376

99, 889

99, 938

99, 970

220

2,133

7,020

11, 040

26, 476

33, 859

18, 728

521

99, 997

The lessees of the seal islands have been unable during the last three
years to secure the most desirable sizes of skins, owing to diminished
number of seals, the result of illicit killing by marauders.

The decrease in the size of skins taken by lessees is in proportion to
the increase of numbers caught by the marauders.

LOSS OP FEMALE SEALS.

British and American testimony.

[Extract from letter of Sir George Baden-PoweU, published in the London Times November 30, 1889.]

As a matter of fact the Canadian sealers take very few, if any, seals
close to the islands. Their main catch is made far out at sea, and is
almost entirely composed of females. (Case of the United States,
p. 200, and Senate Ex. Doc. No. 55, Fifty-second Congress, first session,
p. 96.)

[Extract from letter of Rear- Admiral Hotham, of the British navy, to Admiralty.]

Warspite, at Esquimau., September 10, 1890.

I have to request you will bring to the notice of the Lords Commis-
sioners of Admiralty this letter with reference to my telegram of the
8th instant.

I personally saw the masters of the sealing schooners named below,
and obtained from them the information here reported: Capt. C. Cox,
schooner Sapphire; Captain Petit, schooner 31ary Taylor; Captain
Hackett, schooner Annie Seymour; Capt. W. Cox, schooner Triumph.

They also mentioned that two-thirds of their catch consisted of female
seals, but that after the 1st of July very few indeed were captured "in
XJUj)," and that when sealing outside the Bering Sea, round the coast,
on the way up (where this year the heaviest catches were made), they
acknowledged that the seals "in pup" were frequently captured.
(Extract from Yol. Ill, Appendix to Case of Great Britain, cited in
United States, No. 1, 1891, p. 17.)

There were killed this year so far from 40,000 to 50,000 fur seals,
which have been taken by schooners from San Francisco and Victoria.
The greater number were killed in Bering Sea, and were nearly all cows
or female seals. This enormous catch, with the increase which will

166 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

take place when tlie vessels fitting up every year are ready, will, I am
afraid, soon deplete our fur-seal fishery, and it is a great pity such a
valuable industry could not in some way be protected. (Extract from
reports of the department of fisheries of Canada, 1886, by Thomas
Mowat, inspector of fisheries for British Columbia, p. 268. Cited in
British Case, Appendix, Vol. Ill, p. 173; United States No. 1890.)

The majority of our hunters contend that there are over 7 per cent
of pups in the entire catch of fur seals on the coast, while in Bering
Sea the catch does not exceed 1 per cent. But they can not deny the
fact that 60 per cent of the entire catch of Bering Sea is made up of
female seals. (Extract from reports of the department of fisheries,
Canada, 1888, p. 241, by Thomas Mowat, inspector of fisheries for Brit-
ish Columbia. Cited in United States Case, p. 201.)

Niel Bonde, of Victoria, sealer. (Case of United States, Appendix,
Vol. II, p. 315.)

Bonde has been out four years on sealing schooners from Victoria,

namely, from 1887 to 1890, inclusive. He says :

The seals caught along the coast after the Ist of April were mostly pregnant females,
and those caught in Bering Sea were females that had given birth to their young.
I often noticed the milk flowing out of their breasts Avhen being skinned and have
seen live pups cut out of their mothers and live around on the decks for a week.

Cross-examination by the British Government (see British Counter

Case, Vol. II, p. 94) :

That on each of said vessels [namely, the four he had served on] I have had more
or less to do with skinning the seals, and would say that about 60 per cent on the
coast were females and about 5C per cent in Bering Sea. I distinguished the male
skin from the female by the absence of teats.

Christ Clausen, of Victoria, master mariner (Case of United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 319) :

Acted as mate in 1889. Was navigator on schooner Minnie in 1890.

My catch that year was 2,600, of which about 2,000 were caught in Bering Sea.

Acted as navigator on same vessel in 1891.

The seals we catch along the coast are nearly all pregnant females. It is seldom
we capture an old bull, and what males we get are usually young ones. I have fre-
quently seen cow seals cut open and the unborn pups cut out of them, and they
•would live for several days. This is a frequent occurrence. It is my experience that
fully 85 per cent of the seals I took in Bering Sea were females that had given birth
to their pups, aud their teats would be full of milk. I have caught seals of this
kind from 100 to 150 miles away from the Pribilof Islands.

E. M. Greenleaf, of Victoria, master mariner (Case of the United

States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 324) :

Since then (1882) I have been interested in the sealing business, and am well
acquainted with it and the men engaged in it .and the methods employed. I am
acquainted with the hunters and masters who sail from this port, and board all
incoming and outgoing vessels of that class. These men all acknowledge that nearly
all the seals taken off the Pacific Coast are females, and that they are nearly all with
young.

# * * # * # *

I have also learned by conversation with Bering Sea hunters that they kill seal
cows 20 to 200 miles froin the breeding grounds aud that these cows had recently
given birth to young. I have observed in the skins that the size of the teats show
either an advanced state of pregnancy or of recent delivery of young.

Arthur Griflfln,of Victoria, sealer (Case of United States, Appendix,
Vol. II, p. 325) :

He went sealing in 1890.

Began sealing off the northern coast of California, following the sealing herd
northward, capturing about 700 seals in the North Pacific Ocean, two-thirds of which
were females with pups; the balance were young seals, both male and female. We
entered Bering Sea July 13 through Unimak Pass and captured between 900 and
1,000 seals therein, most of which were females in milk.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 167

Of the following year, he says:

We captured between 900 and 1,000 on the coast, most all of which were females
with pups. We entered the sea .July 12 through Unimak Pass and captured about 800
seals iu those waters, about flOpcr cent of which were females in milk from 20 to 100
miles from the rookeries.

James Harrison, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 32G) :

We commenced sealing right off the coast ; went as far south as the California
Coast, and then hunted north to the west coast of Vancouver Islands. Caught 500
skius (luring the season ; almost all of them were pregnant females. Out of 100 seals
taken about 90 per cent would bo females with young pups in them. I can't tell a male
from a female while in the water at a distance. On an average, I think the hunters
will save about one out of three that they kill, but they wound many more that
escape and die afterwards. We entered Bering Sea about the 1st of June, and
caught about 200 seals iu those waters. They were mostly mothers that had given
birth to their young and were around the fishing banks feeding. The hunters used
shotguns and rifles. In Bering Sea we killed both males and females, but I do not
know the proportion of one to the other.

James Hay ward, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 327):

He went out sealing in 1887, 1888, 1890, and 1891. His vessels
appear to have made large catches. He makes the following statement :

Most of the seals killed on the coast are pregnant females, while those we killed in
Bering Sea after the 1st of July were females that had given birth to their young on
the seal islands and come out into the sea to feed. Have caught them 150 miles off
from the shore of the seal islands, and have skinned them when their breasts were
full of milk. Seals travel and go a long way to feed.

Alfred Dardean, of Victoria, sealer (Case of United States, Appen-
dix, Vol. II, p. 322) :

He went sealing in 1890.

We caught over 900 skins before entering the sea and our whole catch that year
was 2,1.59 skins. Of the seals that were caught off the coast fully 90 jjer cent out of
every hundred liad young pups iu them. The boats would bring the seals killed on
board the vessel and we would take the young pups out and skin them. If the pup
is a good, nice one we would skin it and keep it for ourselves. I had 8 such skins
myself. Four out of five, if caught in May or June, would be alive when we cut
them out of the mothers. One of them we kept for pretty near three weeks alive
on deck by feeding it on condensed milk. One of the men finally killed it because
it cried so pitifully. We only got 3 seals with pups in them in Bering Sea. Most
all of them were females and had given birth to their young on the islands, and the
milk would run out of the teats on the deck when we would skin them. We caught
female seals iu milk more than 100 miles off the Pribilof Islands.

Morris Moss, furrier, and vice-president Sealers' Association of Vic-
toria (Case of United States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 341) :
He has bought from 10,000 to 20,000 seal skins per annum.

I believe the majority of seals captured by white hunters in Bering Sea are females
iu search of food.

J. Johnson, of Victoria, sealer and sailing master (Case of the United
States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 331):

Has spent six years of his life sealing, and been captain of four dif-
ferent schooners.

A large majority of the seals taken on the coast are cows with pup. A few young
males are taken, the ages ranging from 1 to 5 years. Once in a while an old bull is
taken in the North Pacific Ocean. I use no discrimination in killing seals, but kill
everything that comes near the boat in the shape of a seal. The majority of the
seals killed in Bering Sea are females. I have killed female seals 75 miles from the
islands that were full of milk.

168 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Victor Jacobsoii, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 328) :

He is a British subject. Has been engaged in sealing for eleven years,
ten years as a master. He is now master and owner of schooner Mary
Ellen and owner of schooner Mimiie.

The female seals go tliroiij>h the passes from the Pacitic Ocean into Bering Sea
between June 25 and. .July 15. Females killed previous to this time I found with
pup, but none with pups alter that latter date. I have killed female seals taken by
me that three in five are females and nearly all with pup.

Cross-examination by the British Government (See British Counter
Case, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 83) :

My experience has been that about three out of five seals taken on the coast are
females, and about the same in Bering Sea.

Edwin P. Porter, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 340):

My experience in four years' sealing is that nearly all the seals taken along the
coast are pregnant females, and it is seldom that oue of them is caught that has not
a young pup in lier. In the fore part of the season the i)up is small, but in May and
June, when they are taken oft" the Queen Charlotte and Kodiak islands, the unborn
pup is quite large, and wo frequently take them out of the mothers alive. I have
kept some of them alive for six weeks, that were cut out of their mothers, by feeding
them condensed milk. The seals we capture in Bering Sea were fully 80 per cent
females that had given birth to their young. A fact that I often noticed was that
their teats would be full of milk when I skinned them, and I have seen them killed
from 20 to 100 miles from the seal islands.

Charles Peterson, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Ap])endix, Vol. II, p. 345):

We entered Bering Sea about the 15th of Augu-st, through the Unimak Pass, and
captured therein 1,104 seals, most of which were cows in milk. On that voyage we
caught female seals in milk over 80 miles from the rookeries where they had left
their young. I have seen the deck almost flooded with milk while we were skinning
the seals. Ninety per cent of all the seals we captured in the water were female
seals.

Robert H. McManus, of Victoria, journalist (Case of the United
States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 337) :

Tuesday, August 25, rain in morning. Boats and canoe out at half past 9 o'clock;
out all day (returning to dinner). Result: First boat, 2 seals reported; wounded
and lost 5; seals said to be shy and wary, and not so numerous as formerly; atten-
tion callecl to cow seal being skinned (which I had taken for a young bull). The
snow-white milk running down blood-stained deck was a sickening sight. Indian
canoe, 1 seal. Total, 3 seals, 2 mediums, and 1 cow.

Wednesday, August 26, cloudy morning. Seals floating round schooner. Boats
and canoe out all day. Result : 'First boat, 1 seal ; second boat, none ; Indian canoe,
10 seals ; total, 11 seals ; 8 cows in milk and 3 medium. Skipi)er in first boat blamed
the powder. Second boat said it was too heavy and clumsy for the work. Skipper
reported having wounded and lost 7, and the men in second boat 9—16 in all.
Skipper said seals not so numerous as formerly, more shy; also blamed the powder.
Evidently a great deal of shooting and very few seals to correspond.

Saturday, August 29, ship's cook brought down from deck a large cow seal at 10
yar<ls rise. Boats and canoe out all day. Fine, clear, balmy weather: Akutau Island
"in eight-. Result: First boat, 3 seals; second boat. 3 seals; cook, from deck, 1;
Indian canoe, 10; total catch, 17 seals, greater proportion cows in milk. Horrid
sight; could not stay the ordeal out till all were flayed. A large number reported
as wounded and lost.' According to appearances, slaughter and indiscriminate.

Sunday, August 30. Result of hunt: First boat, 2 seals; second boat, 1; Indian
canoe, 7; total, 10 seals, 7 of which were cows in milk. Several, as usual, reported
wounded and lost by the boats. The great superiority of the Indian spear evident.

The British commissioners, in their report, express the following
views with regard to pelagic sealing, which views should be specially

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 169

noted in connection with the foregoing descriptions of how gravid
nursing females are killed :

633. By the pelagic sealers aud by Indian hnnter.s along the coast, fur seals of both
sexes are killed, and, indeed, it would be unreasonable, under the circuinstauces, to
expect that a distinction should be made in this respect, any more than that the
angler should discriminate between the sexes of the fish he may hook.

610. The accusation of butchery laid against tliose who take the seals on shore
can not be brought against this pelagic method of killing the seal, which is really
hunting as distinguished i'rom slaughter, and in which the animal has what may be
described as a fair chance for its life.

Capt. G. L. Hooper, of the United States revenue marine (United
States Counter Case, p. 214) :

Captain Hooper made extensive official investigations in regard to
seal life on the Pribilof Islands, in Bering Sea, and the North Pacific
Ocean in 1891 and 1892. In the course of these investigations he cap-
tured, between July 24 and August 31, 1892, 41 seals in Bering Sea.
He made no efforts to secure large numbers or all that he saw. The 41
seals were composed of the following classes: Old males, 1; young
males, 11; nursing cows, 22; virgin cows, 7. He says:

Since leaving San Francisco on March 9 the Corwin has steamed 16,200 miles, and
8,713 miles since the date of my reporting for duty, as part of the Bering Sea fleet.
Of this distance, 5,507 miles were steamed in Bering Sea.

Jf ^ -?f rr if ^ -^

I find in general, as one of the results of my investigations, that more than two-
thirds of the seals taken are now having young or capable of bearing them at no
distant day; that it is impossible to discriminate as to age or sex of seals while in
the water, except in the case of young jiups and old bulls; that even under the most
favorable conditions a large percentage is lost by sinking or wounding; aud that by
reason of the tameuess of the nursing cows, which form the larger part of the seals
sent, pelagic hunting in Bering Sea is peculiarly destructive and unless stopped will
wholly extermiuate the already greatly depleted herds.

I do not believe that it is possible to indicate any zonal limit in Bering Sea beyond
which pelagic sealiug could be carried on and at the same time preserve the seals
from complete annihilation. Further, I wish to renew a statement contained in a
former report made to the Secretary of the Treasury, that, unless supplemented with
protection in the Pacific Ocean, no amount of protection in Bering Sea will preserve
the herds.

Capt. L. G. Shepard, United States revenue marine (Case of the
United States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 187) :

I am 45 years of age, a resident of Washington, D. C, and am captain in the United
States Revenue-Marine Service, chief of division revenue marine. Treasury Depart-
ment. In command of the revenue steamer Hush, I made three cruises to Bering Sea
in the years 1887, 1888, and 1889 for the purpose of enforcing existing law for protec-
tion of seal life in Alaska and the waters thereof. I hereby append to and make a
part of this affidavit a table, marked A, giving the names of the vessels seized by me
in Bering Sea while violating the law of the United States in relation to the taking
of fur-bearing animals.

*******

I examined the skins taken from sealing vessels seized in 1887 and 1889, over 12,000
skins, and of these at least two-thirds or three-fonrths were the skins of females.
Of the females taken in the Pacific Ocean, and early in the season in Bering Sea,
nearly all are heavy with young, and the death of the female necessarily causes the
death of the unborn pup seal; in fact, I have seen on nearly every vessel seized the
pelts of unborn pups which had been taken from their mothers. Of the females
taken in Bering Sea nearly all are in milk, and I have seen the milk come from the
carcasses of dead females lying on the decks of sealing vessels which were more
than 100 miles from the Pribilof Islands. From this fact, and from the further fact
that I have seen seals in the water over 150 miles from the islands during the sum-
mer, I am convinced that the female, after giving birth to her young on the rookeries,
goes at least 150 miles, in many cases, from the islands in search of food. It ia
impossible to distinguish a male from a female seal in the water, except in the case
of a very old bull, when his size distinguishes him Therefore, open-sea sealing ia
entirely indiscriminate as to sex or age.

170 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Capt. Daniel McLane (Case of the United States, Appendix, Vol.
II, p. 443) :

Captain McLane has been engaged in pelagic sealing for eleven years
as master of vessels and deposes in part as follows :

Q. Of what sex are the seals taken by you, or usually killed by hunting vessels in
the North Pacilic and Bering Seaf — A. Females.

Q. What percentage of them are cows? Suppose you catch 100 seals, how many
males would you have among them? — A. About 10.

Q. What percentage of the cows taken are with pup ? — A. The females are mostly
all with pup ; that is, up uutil the 1st of July.

Q. Have you noticed any decrease in the quantity of animals in the last few
years? — A. Yes, sir.

Q. To what do you attribute the cause? — A. Killing off the females.

Q. If sealing continues as heretofore, is there any danger of exterminating them? —
A. Yes, sir; they will all be exterminated in three years, and there will be no more
sealing.

Q. Do you think it is absolutely necessary to protect the cows in the Bering Sea ? —
A. Yes, sir.

James Kiernan, of San Francisco, sealing captain (Case of the
United States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 449) :

My experience has been that the sex of the seals usually killed by hunters employed
on vessels under my command, both in the ocean and Bering Sea, were cows. I
should say that not less than 80 per cent of those caught each year were of that sex.
I have observed that those killed in the North Paciiic were mostly female carrying
their young, and were generally caught wliile asleep on the water, while those taken
in the Bering Sea were nearly all mother seals in milk, that had left their young and
were in search of food.

* * # * * * *

The mother does not leave the rookery in search of food until she has dropped her
young and become pregnant again, lience when she has been slain i"t means the loss
of three, as the young pup will unquestionably die for lack of sustenance.

Michael White, of San Fraacisco, sealing captain (Case of the
United States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 489) :

I am 50 years of age. I reside at East Oakland. My occupation is master mariner,
and I have been so engaged for twenty-seven years, off and on. I have been engaged
in seal hunting during the years 1885, 1887, 1888, and 1889 in the North Pacific and
Bering Sea. I first went oitt in 1885 in the schooner City of San Diego, chartered by
myself and others, and my catch for that year was between 2,300 and 2,400 seals.
Of that number about 1,900 were caught in Bering Sea. There were but very few ves-
sels sealing at that time. In 18861 was master of the schooner Tei-ese, sailing from San
Francisco on the 2d day of February, and commenced capturing seals on the coast
of California, and followed them from that date north into Bering Sea. We caught
them from 5 to 60 miles off the coast. I entered Bering Sea on the 6th day of June,
1886, and previous to that time had caught about 880 seals. Then I sealed in Ber-
ing Sea from that time to the 28th of August; caught about 2,200 more, the whole
catch being 3,000 for the year.

In 1887 I was master of the schooner Lottie Fairchild, sailing from San Francisco
on or about the 17th day of March, and worked northward to Bering Sea, and cap-
tured 883 seals. I then entered Bering Sea about the 6th of July, cruising there
until the 29th day of August, and took 2,517 seals more, the whole catch being 3,400
for the year.

In 1888 I took the schooner Undaunted on a fishing and sealing voyage, leaving
here on or about the 20th of March, and cruised in the North Pacific up to the island
of Kodiak, capturing 400 seals up to the 7th day of .June. I did not enter Bering
Sea that year. I did the same in 1889, my trip being the same as in 1888, and my
capture of seals was about the same. I then quit sealing, and I am now engaged in
trading with the Gilbert and Marshall islands in the South Pacific Sea.

In my captures off the coast between here and Sitka 90 per cent of my catch were
females, but off the coast of Unimak Pass there was a somewhat smaller percentage
of females, and nearly all the females were cows heavy with pup, and, in some
instances, the period of gestation was so near at hand that I have frequently taken
the live pup from the mother's womb.

I never paid any particular attention as to tlie exact number of or proportion of
each sex killed in Bering Sea, but 1 do know that the larger portion of them were
females and were mothers giving milk. I have never hunted within 15 miles of the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 171

Pribilof Islands, bnt I have often killed seals in milk at distances of not less than 100
to 200 miles from these islands. From my knowledge and experience in tlie business
it is my conviction that within the last few years, since the sealers have become so
numerous in the Pacific and Bering Sea, that not more than one out of three is
secured. Our purpose and practice was to take all seals we could get, regardless of
their age or sex, without any discrimination whatever.

M, A. Healy :

My own observation and the information obtained from seal hunters convince me
that fully 90 per cent of the seals found swimming in Bering Sea during the
breeding season are females in search of food, and the slaughter results in the
destruction of her young by starvation. I firmly believe that the fur-seal industry
at the Pribilof Islands can be saved from destruction only by a total prohibition
against killing s^als, not only in the waters of Bering Sea, but also during their
annual immigration northward in the Pacific Ocean.

This conclusion is based. upon the well-known fact that the mother seals are
slaughtered by the thousands in the North Pacific while on their way to the islands
to give birth to their young, and extinction must necessarily come to any species of
animal where the female is continually hunted and killed during the period required
for gestation and rearing of her young. As now practiced, there is no respite to the
female seal from the relentless jjursuit of the seal hunters, for the schooners close
their season with the departure of the seals from the northern sea and then return
home, refit immediately, and start out upon a new voyage in February or March,
commencing upon the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, following the
seals northward as the season advances into Bering Sea.

Captain Coulson says:

In company with Special Agent Murray, Captain Hooper, and Engineer Brerton,
of the Corwin, I visited the Reef and Garbotch rookeries, St. Paul Island, in August,
1891, and saw one of the most i^itiable sights that I have ever witnessed. Thousands
of dead and dying pups were scattered over the rookeries, while the shores were
lined with emaciated, hungry little fellows, with their eyes turned toward the sea,
uttering plaintive cries for their mothers, which were destined never to return.
Numbers of them were opened, their stomachs examined, and the fact revealed that
starvation was the cause of death, no organic disease being apparent.

The great number of seals taken by hunters in 1891 was to the westward and north-
westward of St. Paul Island, and the largest number of dead were found that year in
rookeries situated on the west side of the island. This fact alone goes a gi-eat w^ay,
in my opinion, to confirm the theory that the loss of the mothers was the cause of
mortality among the young.

After the mother seals have given birth to their young on the islands they go to
the water to feed and bathe, and I have observed them, not only around the island,
but from 80 to 100 miles out at sea.

In different years the feeding grounds or the location where the greater number of
seals are taken by poachers seem to diflter ; in other words, the seals frequently change
feeding grounds. For iustant, in 1887 the greatest number of seals were taken by
poachers between Unimak and Akutan passes and the seal islands, and to the south-
westward of St. George Island. In 1889 the catching was largely done to the south-
ward and eastward, in many cases from 50 to 150 miles distant from the seal islands.
In the season of 1890, to the southward and westward, also to northwest and north-
east of the islands, showing that the seals have been scattered. The season of 1891,
the greatest number were taken to northward and westward of St. Paul, and at
various distances from 25 to 150 miles away.

Mr. Eedpath :

The Alaskan fur seal is a native of the Pribilof Islands, and, unless prevented, will
return to those islands every year with the regularity of the seasons. All the pecul-
iarities of nature that surround the Pribilof group of islands, such as low and even
temperature, fog, mist, and perpetually clouded sky, seem to indicate their fitness and
adaptability as a home for the Alaskan fur seal; and, with an instinct bordering on
reason, they have selected these lonely and barren islands as the choicest spots of
earth upon w^hich to assemble and dwell together during their six months' stay on
land; and annually they journey across thousands of miles of ocean and pass hun-
dreds of islands, without pause or rest, until they come to the place of their birth.
And it is a well-established fact that upon no other land in the world do the Alaskan
fur seal haul out of water.

J. C. Eedpath says:

No cow will nurse any "pup but her own, and I have often watched the pups
attempt to suck cows, but they were always driven off, and this fact convinces me

1 72 ALASKA mnUSTRIES.

that the cow recognizes her own pup but that the pup does not know its dam. At
hirth, and for several weeks after, the pup is utterly heljiless and entirely dependent
upon its dam for sustenance, and should anything prevent her return during this
period, it dies on the rookery. This has been demonstrated beyond a doubt since
the scaling vessels have operated largely in Bering Sea during the months of July,
August, and September, and which, killing the cows at the feeding grounds, left the
pups to die on the islands.

At about 5 weeks old the pups begin to run about and congregate in bunches or
"pods," and at 6 to 8 weeks old they go into the shallow water and gradually learn
to swim. They are not amphibious when born, nor can they swim for several weeks
thereafter, and were they put into the water would perish beyond a doubt, as has
been well established by the drowning of pups caught by the surf in stormy weather.
After learning to .swim the pui)s still draw sustenance from the cows, and I have
noticed at the annual killing of pups for food in November that their stomachs were
always full of milk and nothing else, although the cows had left the islands some
days before. I have no knowledge of the pups obtaining sustenance of any kind
except that furnished by the cows, nor have I ever seen anything but milk in a dead
pup's stomach.

Karj) Buteriu says :

Schooners kill cows, jiups die, and seals are gone. Some men tell me last year,
"Karp, seals are sick." I know seals are not sick; I never seen a sick seal, and I
eat seal meat every day of my life. No big seals die unless we cliib them ; only pups
die for food after the cows are shot at sea. When we used to kill pups for food in
November, they were always full of milk ; the pups that die on the rookeries have no
milk. The cows go into the sea to feed after the pups are born, and the schooner
men shoot them all the time.

Captain Cartbcut says:

About 80 per cent of the seals I caught in Bering Sea were mothers in milk, and
were feeding around the fishing banks just north of the Aleutian Islands, and I got
most of my seals from 50 to 250 miles from the seal islands. I don't think I ever
sealed within 25 miles of the Pribilof Islands. They are very tame after giving
birth to their young, and are easily approached by the hunters. When the females
leave the islands to feed, they will go very fast to the fishing banks, and after they
get their food they will go to sleep on the waters. That is the hunter's great chance.
I think we secure more in proportion to the number killed than we did in the North
Pacific. I hunted with shotgun and rifle, but mostly with shotgun. Seals were not
nearly as numerous in 1887 as they were in 1877, and it is my belief that the decrease
in numbers is due to the hunting and killing of female seals in the water. I do not
think it possible for seals to exist for any length of time if the present slaughter
continues. The killing of the female means death to her born or unborn pup, audit
is not reasonable to expect that this immense drain on the herds can be continued
without a very rapid decrease in their numbers, and which practically means exter-
minatit)n within a very few years.

Christ Clausen says :

The Indian hunters, when they use spears, saved nearly every one they struck.
It is my observation and experience that an Indian or a white hunter, unless very
expert, will kill and destroy many times more than he will save if he uses firearms.
It is our object to take them when asleep on the water, and auy attemj)t to capture
a breaching seal generally ends in failure. The seals we catch along the coast are
nearly all pregnant females. It is seldom we capture an old bull, and what males
we get are usually young ones. I have frequently seen cow seals cut open and unborn
pups cut out of thein, and they would live for several days. This is a frequent
occurrence. It is my experience that fully 85 per cent of the seals I took in Bering
Sea were females and had given birth to their pups, aud their teats would be full of
milk. I have caught seals of this kind 100 to 150 miles from Pribilof Islands. It is
my opinion that spears should be used in hunting seals, and if they are to be kept
from extermination the shotgun should be discarded.

George Disliow says:

I use a shotgun exclusively for taking seals. Old hunters lose but very few seals,
but beginners lose a great many. I use the Parker shotgun. A large proportion of
all seals taken are females with pup. I never examined them as to sex. But very
few old bulls are taken, only five being taken out of a total of 900 seals taken by my
schooner. Use no discrimination in killing seal, but shoot everything that comes
near the boat in the shape of a seal. Hunters shoot seal in the most exposed part of
the body. Have never known any pups to be born in the water, nor on the land on

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 11?)

the coast of Alaska anywhere outside of the Pribilof Islands. Have never known
fur seal to haul up on the land anywhere on the coast except on the Pribilof Islands.
Most of the seals taken in Bering Sea are females. Have taken them 70 miles from
the islands that were full of milk. I think a closed season should be established for
breeding seal from January 1 to August 15 in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering
Sea.

George Faircbild says :

Most of them were cows, nearly all of which had pups in them. Wo took some of
the pups alive out of the bodies of the females. We entered Bering Sea May 25,
and we got 704 seals in there, the greater quantity of which were females with their
breasts full of milk, a facfc which I know by reason of having seen the milk How on
the deck when they were being skinned. We had live boats on board, each boat
having a hunter, boat puller, and steerer. We used shotguns and rifles. We got
one out of every five or six that we killed or wounded. We wounded a great many
that we did not get. We caught them from 10 to 50 miles off the seal islands.

Norman Hodgson says :

I do not think it possible for fur seals to breed or copulate in water at sea, and
never saw nor heard of the action taking place on a batch of floating kelp. I have
never seen a young fur-seal pup of the same season's birth in the water at sea nor
on a patch of floating kelp, and, in fact, never knew of their being born anywhere
save on a rookery. I have, however, cut open a gravid cow and taken the young
one from its mother's womb alive and crying. I do not believe it possible for a fur
seal to be successfully raised unless born and nursed on a rookery. I have seen fur
seals resting on patches of floating kelp at sea, but do not believe they ever haul up
for breeding purposes anywhere except on rookeries.

Captain Tanner, lientenant-commauder in the United States Navy,
makes a deposition wbicli is entitled to particular consideration. The
following is a short extract:

Seals killed in Bering Sea after the birth of pups are largely mother seals, and the
farther they are found from the islands the greater the percentage will be. The rea-
son for this seeming paradox is very simple. The young males, having no family
responsibilities, can afford to hunt nearer home, where food can be found if sufficient
time is devoted to the search. The mother does not leave her young except when
necessity compels her to seek food for its sustenance. She can not afford to waste
time on feeding grounds already occupied by yoimger and more active feeders, hence
she makes the best of her way to richer fields farther away, gorges herself with food,
then seeks rest and a quiet nap on the surface. Under these circumstances she sleeps
soundly, and becomes an easy victim to the watchful hunter.

A double waste occurs when the mother seal is killed, as the pups will surely
starve to death. A mother seal will give sustenance to no pup but her own. I saw
sad evidences of this waste on St. Paul last season, where large numbers of pups
were lying about the rookeries, where they had died of starvation.

Decrease of Seals.

excessive killing the admitted cause.

We find that since the Alaska purchase a marked diminution in the
number of seals on and habitually resorting to the Pribilof Islands has
taken place; that it has been cumulative in effect, and that it is the
result of excessive killing by man, (Joint report of United States and
British Bering Sea commissioners.)

PELAGIC SEALING THE SOLE CAUSE.

Opinions of American commissioners.

Having answered the first of the two queries relating to conditions
of seal life at the present time, the second becomes important. It is:
Has the decrease in number been confined to any particular class of
seals, or is it most notable in any class or classes? In answer to this,
it is our opinion that the diminution in numbers began and continues
to be most notable in female seals. (Report of American commissioners.)

174 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

As a matter of fact, there is sufficient evidence to convince us that
by far the greater part of the seals taken at sea are females; indeed,
we have yet to meet with any evidence to the contrary. The state-
ments of those who have had occasion to examine the catch of pelagic
sealers might be quoted to almost any extent to the effect that at least
80 per cent of the seals thus taken are females. On one occasion we
examined a pile of skins picked out at random, and which we have
every reason to believe was a part of a pelagic catch, and fouud them
nearly all females. When the sealers themselves are not influenced by
the feeling that they are testifying against their own interests, they
give similar testimony. The master of the sealing schooner J. G. Swan
declared that in the catch of 1890, when he secured several hundred
seals, the proportion of females to males was about four to one, and on
one occasion in a lot of 60 seals, as a matter of curiosity, he counted the
number of females with young, finding 47. (Report of American com-
missioners.)

The decrease in the number of seals is the result of the evil effects
of pelagic sealing. (Report of American commissioners.)

Opinion of Dr. Allen.

From the foregoing summary it is evident that the decline in the
number of the killable seals at the Pribilof rookeries and the immense
decrease in the total number of seals on the Pribilof Islands are not
due to any change in the management of the seal herd at the islands,
but to the direct and unquestionably deleterious effects of pelagic seal
ing. At the islands the killing is regulated with reference to the num-
ber of killable seals on the rookeries, the designated (luota is limited
to nonbreeding young males, and every seal killed is utilized. The
killing, as thus regulated, does not impair the productiveness of the
rookeries. In pelagic sealing the slaughter is indiscriminate and unlim-
ited, and a large proportion of the seals killed are lost. The catch also
consists almost wholly of breeding females, which at the time of cap-
ture are either heavy with young or have young on the rookeries
depending upon them for sustenance. Thus two or more seals are
destroyed to every one utilized, and nearly all are drawn from the class
on which the very existence of the seal herd depends. (Article by Dr.
J. A. Allen.)

Opinions of experts.

I have always taken a great interest in the sealing industry and felt
a great desire to have them protected from destruction, and I say with-
out hesitation that the great decrease in the number now annually
arriving at the seal islands is due entirely to the killing of female seals
by pelagic sealers. (George Adams.)

From my general knowledge of natural history, from my study of the
habits of seals, as well as from the opportunities I have had to acquaint
myself with the sources of destruction which are at work, I firinly
believe that pelagic sealing would not only account for the diminution
of the seal herd, but if continued the seals will inevitably be commer-
cially destroyed. (A. B. Alexander.)

I believe there has been a great decrease of seals on the islands
since 1 left there, and this is no doubt due to pelagic sealing. (James
Armstrong.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 175

My people wondered why this was so, and no one could tell until we
learned that hunters in schooners were shooting and destroying them
in the sea. Then we knew what the trouble was, for we knew the seals
they killed and destroyed must be cows, for most all the males remain
on or near the islands until they go away in the fall or fore part of the
winter. We also noticed dead pups on the rookeries that had been
starved to death. If they had not killed the seals in the sea there
would be as many on the rookeries as there was ten years ago. There
was not more than one fourth as many seals in 1891 as there was in 1880.
We understand the danger there is in the seals being all killed ofl' and
that we will have no way of earning our living. There is not one of us
but what believes if they had not killed them off by shooting them in
the water there would be as many seals on the islands now as there was
in 1880, and we could go on forever taking 100,000 seals on the two
islands; but if they get less as fast as they have in the last live or six
years there will be none left in a little while. (Kerrick Artomanoff.)

Upon examining the Bering Sea catch for 1891, as based upon the
records of the Victoria custom-house, I ascertained that nearly 30,000
seals had been taken by the British fleet alone in Bering Sea during
the summer of 1891. When there is added to this the catch of the
American vessels, the dead pups upon the rookeries, and allowances
made for those that are killed and not recovered, we have a catch which
will not only nearly reach in numbers the quota of male seals allowed to
be taken upon the islands in years gone by, but we have a catch in the
securing of which destruction has fallen most heavily upon the produc-
ing females. This is borne out by a further fact. The young bachelor
seals can lie idly on the hauling grounds and through the peculiarities
of their physical economy sustain life with a small supply of food, but
the cows must range the ocean in search of nourishment that they may
meet the demands made upon them by their young. That seals go a
great distance from the islands I know from personal observation, for
we saw them 120 miles to the northward of the island on the way to
Nunival. That the females outnumber the males ten to one is well
known, otherwise the hauling ground would present such an array of
killable seals that there would be no necessity for the Government to
suspend the annual quota. It inevitably follows that the females are
the class most preyed upon in Bering Sea. ]S"o class of animals which
bring forth but a single offspring annually can long sustain itself
against the destruction of the producers. As a result of my investiga-
tion I believe that the destruction of females was carried to the point,
in about 1885, where the birth rate could not keep up the necessary
supply of mothers, and that the equilibrium being once destroyed and
the drain upon the producing class increasing from year to year from
that date, the present depleted condition of the rookeries has resulted
directly therefrom. (J. Stanley-Brown.)

When we first noticed that the seals on the rookeries were not so
many as they used to be, we did not know what was wrong, but by and
by we found that plenty of schooners came into the sea and shot seals,
and we often found bullets and shot in seals when we were skinning
them. And then we found plenty of dead pups on the rookeries, more
and more every year, until last year (1891), when there were so many the
rookeries were covered with them, and when the doctor ( Akerly) opened
some of them there was no milk or food in their stomachs. Then we
all knew the cows had been shot when they went into the sea to feed,
and the puf»s died because they had nothing to eat. Plenty of schooners

176 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

came first about eij^ht or nine years ago, and more and more every year
since, and the seals get less and less ever since schooners came; and
my people kept saying '-No cows," "No cows." First the cows get less
and then the bachelors get less, and the company ngent he says "kill
smaller seals," and we kill some whose skins weigh only 4^ pounds,
instead of 7 pounds, same as they always got. Then we could not get
enough of seals and at last we could hardly get enough for meat.
Schooners kill cows, pups die, and seals are gone. (Karp Buterin.)

The cause of this decrease I believe to be due to the promiscuous
killing of the seals by hunters in the open sea and the disturbance
caused by their presence in destroying the mother seals and scattering
the herds. (James H. Douglass.)

I know of no other cause for the decrease than that of the killing of
the cows at sea by the pelagic hunters, which I believe must be pro-
hibited if the Alaskan fur seal is to be saved from total destruction.
(0. L. Fowler.)

In my opinion pelagic sealing is the cause of redriving on the islands,
the depletion of the rookeries, and promises to soon make the Alaska
fur-seal herd a thing of the past. If continued as it is to-day, even if
killing on the islands was absolutely forbidden, the herd will in a few
years be exterminated. (Charles J. Goff.)

During my visit to the islands of St. Paul and St. George for the last
twenty years I have carefully noticed that those islands were visited
by great herds of fur seals during the breeding season, and that,
although 100,000 male seals were taken annually at the islands by the
lessees, no perceptible diminution in their numbers was noticeable until
within the past few years, when the killing of seals in the open sea on
the part of fishing vessels became j)revaleut, since which time there
has been a very perceptible diminution in the number of seals seen in
the water of Bering Sea and hauling grounds on the islands. This
decrease has become alarmingly sudden in the last three or four years,
due, I believe, to the ruthless and indiscriminate methods of destruc-
tion employed by vessels in taking female seals in the open sea. (Capt.
M. A. Healey.)

I made the conditions of seal life a careful study for years, and I am
firmly of the opinion their decrease in number on the Pribilof Islands
is due wholly and entirely to hunting and killing them in the open sea.
(W. S. Hereford.)

When in 1880 we all saw the decrease of seals upon the hauling
grounds and rookeries, we asked each other what was the cause of it,
but when we learned that white men were shooting seals in the water
with guns we knew what was the matter; we knew that if they killed
seals in the water that they must be nearly all females that were going
out to feed, for the males stay on the islands until they get ready to go
away in the fall or winter. It was among the cows we first noticed the
decrease, and as we never kill the cows on the islands, we knew they
must be killing them in the water. (Aggei Kushen.)

There can be no question, in my opinion, about the ultimate result to
the rookeries of marine sealing. If it is continued as it has been for
the last two or three years, the seals will be so nearly wiped out of exist-
ence in a short time as to leave nothing to quarrel about, and an article
of commerce that has afltbrded a vast amount of comfort and satisfac-
tion to a large class of wearers and a large income to both American
and British nierchants will be a thing of the past, (Isaac Liebes.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 177

I am convinced that the decrease in the rookeries was caused entirely
by open-sea sealing. (Abial P. Loud.)

There were no destructive agencies at work upon the island that
would not have left the rookeries in better condition in 1890 than they
were in 1870. Until the effects of the true agent of destruction began
to be manifest there was an excess of male life on the islands sufficient
to ])ermit of an annual catch of 100,()0() seals for an indefinite period
without jeopardizing the rookeries. If it be remembered that the seals
taken in the waters by hnnters are chiefly females, that their young
die with them, and that all of those killed are not secured, and if then
an examination be made of the pelagic skins actually sold during the
past twenty years, the real source of the depletion of the rookeries will
be found. In my judgment such dei)letion was caused by pelagic seal-
ing, and that it grew greater from year to year, as the number of
so-called poaching schooners increased, and that its effects began to
manifest themselves about 1885 or 1886. The depletion on both haul-
ing and breeding grounds is accounted for by the fact that the catch
of said sealers consists of at least 85 per cent cows. Said cows, when
taken in the North Pacific, are in the majority of cases with pups, and
in Bering Sea are so-called milking females. Whenever a milking cow
is killed, her pup on the rookeries dies of starvation. In support of
this fact last stated, the number of dead pups during the last four years
I was upon the islands increased annually. The effect of the compara-
tively few raids upon the rookeries themselves, while injurious, bear
but a small ratio to the enormous damage done by the pelagic hunting.
Those in charge of the islands did not, when the decrease on the rook-
eries commenced, know exclusively the cause thereof. My opinion then
was that it was caused by pelagic sealing, but I had been informed
and believed that the United States Government intended to seize all
such poaching vessels. Kelying upon such information I authorized
the taking of seals as before. The proper protection of seal life was
not fully carried out in Bering Sea and the North Pacific by reason of
England's interference, and the rookeries were thus depleted. (H. H.
Mclntyre.)

From statements made by personal acquaintances and friends, I
became aware of a rapid decrease in seal life in Alaska, and reports of
pelagic sealing, as made public through the press, combined with pre-
vious personal affairs as existing prior to 1882, leaves no possible doubt
as to the cause of such decrease of seals. Pelagic sealing as practiced
prior to the year 1882 had no apparent effect upon seal life, and even
when to this was added the taking of a definite number year after year
under lease from the United States Government, there was still a con-
stant increase of seals observed. I am, therefore, fully confirmed in
the belief that the decrease in their numbers is due solely to the indis-
criminate killing at sea of all ages, regardless of sex, as ))racticed since
1881. (H. W. Mclntyre.)

The seals have rapidly decreased since sealing vessels appeared, but
before the inroads of these seal hunters there was no trouble in obtain-
ing the full quota of the best grades of skins, as the herds i)revious to
that time had been noticeably increasing, (John Malowansky.)

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease m the number of seals on
the rookeries?— A. To the great number of cows killed by poachers,
and consequently less pups are born on the rookeries.

Q. How do you know that cows have been killed by poachers? — A.
1 have handled and seen a great number of skins captured by the rev-
H. Doc. 1)2, pt. 2 12

178 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

eime cutters from the poaching vessels, and there were very few male
skins among them; also have seen among them a great number of
unborn i)ui)S. Twice upon the rookeries 1 have seen cows killed and
left there by the poachers. (Anton Melovedoft". )

I know of no other explanation than this : The cows are shot and
killed when tln^y go into the sea to feed and the pups die on the rook-
eries. This, I thii.k, is the true solution of the vexed question, "What
has become of the seals'?" (Anton Melovedolf.)

Since 1883, however, there is said to have occurred a very material
diminution of the seal life on the Pribilof Islands, due, as it is claimed,
to a large and indiscriminate slaughter of these animals in the waters
of Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The cause assigned for this loss
is undoubtedly the true one. If no other proof were forthcoming in
relation to it, the large display of dead pups on the rookeries would in
itself furnish all the evidence required. Such diminution could not,
in my opinion, be the result of the yearly slaughter of skins. It is
shown that an appreciable expansion of the rookeries took place after
twelve or fourteen years of such slaughter, and I think this fact
conclusively demonstrates that tlie number of seals which the law per-
mitted to be killed each year was not greater than the known condi-
tions of the seal's life would safely warrant. (J. M. Morton.)

From the experience gained, and observations made, during three
killing seasons; from the information gleaned from men who have
devoted their lives to the practical side of the seal question, and from
the books and reports in the Government offices on the islands, I am
able to say that, in my opinion, there is only one great cause of the de-
crease of the fur seal, and that is the killing of the females by pelagic
hunting. (Joseph Murray.)

I believe tliis decrease is owing to the large number of vessels engaged
in hunting the fur seal at sea, and the indiscriminate methods employed
by these sealing vessels in taking skins. (Arthur Newman.)

The practice of pelagic seal hunting was followed by the Northwest
Coast Indians from their earliest history, but amounted to so little as
to be inappreciable on the islands. Even after white hunters engaged
in it in a limited way our losses from this source were attributed to the
marine enemies of the seals, and was so far overcome by the good man-
agement of the islands as to permit the growth of the herd to continue
so long as it was limited to a few vessels and confined to the vicinity of
the Oregon, Washington, and British Columbian coasts. But even
before any considerable slaughter had taken place in the waters of
Bering Sea, as early as 1882, it was noticed that the rookeries had
stoi)ped expanding, though they were treated in every way as they
always Inid been. An examination ol" the London Catalogue of seal-skin
sales shows that the "Victoria catch" already aggregated a very con-
siderable number of skins, and now brings home the conviction that
l)e]agic sealing, when confined almost wholly to the Pacific, is still a
very dangerous enemy of seal life on the islands. After 1886 the force
of pelagic hunters was greatly augmented, and became more and more
aggressive, until they appeared in alarming numbers in Bering Sea in
1881 and 1885. In 1887 we were forced to commence taking smaller
skins in order to obtain our quota and preserve enough breeding bulls.
In 1888 they were still smaller, while in 1889 more than half of them
were such as we would not have Idlled in former years ; and we called the
attention of the Treasury Department to the evident diminution of seal

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 179

life, and recominended tliat fewer seals be killed iu future. There can
be 110 question as to the cause of the diminution. It is the direct result
of pelagic sealing, and the same destru(;tion, if continued a few years
longer, will entirely dissipate any commercial value iu the rookeries, if
it does not, indeed, annihilate them. (Gustave Niebaum.)

In my opinion the solution of the problem is plain. It is the shotgun
and the riHe of the pelagic hunter which are so destructive to the cow
seals as they go backward and forward to the fishing banks to supply
the waste caused by giving nourishment to their young. At this time
they are destroyed by thousands, and their young of but a few weeks
old must necessarily die of starvation, for nature has provided no other
means of subsistence for them at this time of life. (L. A. Noyes.)

Q, How do you account for if? — A. By the numbers, principally

females, that are killed in the waters by marauders. (J. C. Redpath.)

I saw no diminution of seal life during my three years on the island.
The outlines of the rookeries remained just about the same from year
to year. I was told at the time that there had formerly been a large
increase, and did not then understand why it did not continue, as every
condition seemed favorable for it. There were, apparently, an abun-
dance of bulls for service; every cow seemed to have a pup, and all
were healthy and in good condition. No females were killed, and in the
natural order of growth there ought to have been at this time a con-
stantly increasing area covered with breeding rookeries. Yet such was
not the case. The exjjlanation of the matter came later, when we fairly
awoke to the fact that our animals were being slaughtered by tens of
thousands in the North Pacific. I knew in a commercial way from our
sales catalogue that a very large number of " Victoria skins," as they
were called, were being sent to market, and that this number grew con-
stantly larger; but I did not then know, as I now do, that each skin
sold represented a waste of two or three and perha])s even four or five
seals to obtain it. Nor was any attention given to the now well-known
fact that these animals were a part of our herd as wrongfully stolen
from us, I believe, as my cattle would be if driven in and approi)riated
from the highway when lawfully feeding. (Leon Sloss.)

Since my residence on the Pribilof Islands I have kept a very careful
watch of the progress of the events there, and have interviewed a great
many connected with the seal industry. I am of the conviction that
the reported decrease in seal life on these islands can be attributed to
no other cause save pelagic sealing. While I was located at St. George
Island in 1881 pelagic sealing was then and previous to that time had
been of very little consequence, having very slight effect upon seal life.
Not more than four or tive vessels were engaged in pelagic sealing iu
1881 in the waters of Bering Sea, and prior to that time a still fewer
number were so engaged. But since 1881 this industry has grown yearly
until now about a hundred vessels are destroying the seals in great
numbers, and, as I am informed and believe, the great majority of those
killed are females. Then, too, large numbers are killed in this way
which are never recovered nor reported. (W. B. Taylor.)

Scarcity of seal can be attiibuted to no other cause than pelagic
hunting and the indiscriminate shooting of seals in the open sea, both
in the North Pacific and Bering Sea. (John C. Tolman.)

I am sure the decrease is caused by the killing of female seals in the
open sea, and that if their destruction by the indiscriminate killing in

180 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the open sea is permitted to continue it will only be a very short time
until the herd is destroyed. (Charles T. Wagner.)

I have no doubt that it is caused by the killing of female seals in the
water, and, if continued, will certainly end in their extermination.
(M. L. Washburn.)

I am convinced that if open-sea sealing had never been indulged in
to the extent it has since 1885, or perhaps a year or two earlier, 100,000
male skins could have been taken annually forever from the Pribilof
Islands without decreasing the seal herd below its normal size and con-
dition. The cause of the decrease which has taken place can be
accounted for only by open-sea sealing ; for, until that means of destruc-
tion to seal life grew to be of such proportions as to alarm those inter-
ested in the seals, the seal herd increased, and since that time the
decrease of the number of seals has been proportionate to the increase
in the number of those engaged in open-sea sealing. From 1884 to
1891 I saw their numbers decline, under the same careful management,
until in the latter year there was not more than one-fourth of their
numbers coming to the islands. In my judgment there is but one cause
for that decline and the present condition of the rookeries, and that
is the shotgun and rifle of the pelagic hunter, and it is my opiuioii
that if the lessees had not taken a seal on the islands for the last
ten years we would still find the breeding grounds in about the same
condition as they are to-day, so destructive to seal life are the methods
adopted by these hunters. (Daniel Webster.)

Deponent, by reason of his exj)erience in the business, his observa-
tion, conversations with those ])hysically engaged in cat(!hing and curing
skins, and the custody of herds on the islands, feels justified in express-
ing the opinion that the numbers of the seal herds have, since the
introduction of the open-sea sealing on a large scale, suffered serious
diminution. The killing of large numbers of females heavy with young
can not, in deponent's knowledge, but have that eff'ect. (C. A. Williams.)

I made careful inquiry of the people on the islands, both native and
white, and of those who were or had been employed as masters or mates
on sealing vessels, and others interested one way or another in the cap-
ture of fur seals for food or for profit, and failed to find any of them but
who admitted that the number of seals in Bering Sea was much less
now than a few years since, and nearly all of them gave it as their
opinion that the decrease in number was due to pelagic hunting, or, as
they more frequently expressed it, the killing of females in the water.
(W. H. Williams.)

DECREASE OF THE ALASKAN SEAL HERD.

After 1882 they seemed to stay about the same, as far as the number
of breeders was concerned, as long as I was there. (John Armstrong.)

I ascertained by questioning those who had years of continuous expe-
rience with the seals that up to the year 1882 there was an annual expan-
sion of the boundaries of the breeding grounds; that this was followed
by a period of stagnation, which in turn was followed by a marked
decadence from about 1885-86 down to the present time. (J. Stanley-
Brown.)

I am unable to state whether the seals increased or not during my
residence on St. Paul, but they certainly did not decrease, except, per-
haps, there was a shght decrease in 1884. In all my conversations with

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 181

the natives — which were, of course, a great many — they never spoke of
the seals being on the decrease, as they certainly would have done if
such had been the case. (H. A. Glidden.)

Willie on St. Paul I do not think the number of seals increased, and
in the last year (1884) I think there was a slight decrease. (J. H.

MouItoTi.)

Upon the Commander Islands, as I have already said, the increase
in seal life was constant for many years, but in 1890 we noticed a
decided disturbance in the rookeries and a considerable decrease in
their population. This we subsequently attributed, when the facts
were ascertained, to pelagic sealing in the adjacent waters. (Gustave
Mebaum.)

I noticed during this period no perceptible increase in the breeding
rookeries on St. George. (B. F. Scribner, Treasury agent.)

ON PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

In 1882 there was no scarcity of killable seals. The men drove up as
many every day as they could handle, and those selected for killing
comprised only the choicest ones. (W. C. Allis.)

There seemed to be also a large surplus of full-grown bulls for rook-
ery service, and enough escaped from the slaughter ground to keep the
number good as the old ones passed the age of usefulness. 1 do not
believe the condition of the rookeries nor the manner of driving and
killing the seals at this time could have been improved. It was perfect
in every respect, and the lessees, employees, and natives, as well as the
seals, all appeared to be and were, I believe, contented and hajipy. In
188t) the conditions had somewhat changed. The natives complained
that big seals were growing scarcer; that there were many dead pups
on the rookeries, and the superintendent intimated to me that he did
not like the outlook as compared with a few years previous, and said
he thought either the number killed or the size of the animals taken
for their skins would have to be reduced of killable seals, and the
work went on as during my first year (1882) in the service. But the
trouble of which they complained grew more serious in the following
years, and I think it was in 1888 the superintendent told the bosses
they must kill less large seals and more "yellow bellies," or 2-year-olds.
In 1889 a very large proportion of the catch was made up of this class.
It was then perfectly apparent to everybody, myself included, that the
rookeries were "going to the bad" and that a smaller number must
inevitably be killed the following year. (W. C. Allis.)

The aggregate size of the areas formerly occupied is at least four
times as great as that of the present rookeries. (Report of American
Bering Sea commissioners.)

I have noticed a great decrease in the numbers of the fur seals since
1887, both on the rookeries of St. Paul Island, which are much shrunken
in the area covered by seals, and in the waters of the Pacific and Bering
Sea. On the rookeries, ground formerly hauled over by seals is now
grown up with a scattering of recent growth. (0. H. Anderson.)

The skins taken prior to 1886 weighed from 6 to 10 pounds each,
averaging about 8 pounds per skin; but I understand from those who
remained there on duty that much smaller ones were afterwards taken,
because the large seals had become scarce and were needed for rookery
service. (John Armstrong.)

182 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

From 1870 to 1884 the seals were swarming on the hauling grounds
and the rookeries, and for many years they spread out more and more.
All of a sudden, in 1884, we noticed there was not so many seals, and
they have been decreasing very rapidly ever since. (KerrickArtomanoff.)

There are not neaily as many seals on the coast as there were two or
three years ago. (Johnny Baronovitch.)

There are certain physical as well as historical sources of information
upon the island from which the relation of the present to the past con-
dition of the rookeries can be very clearly made out.

(1) Not only upon, but immediately to the rear of, the area at present
occupied by the breeding seals occur fragments of basalt whose angles
have been rounded and polished by the flippers of seals. Among these
latter rocks grass is found growing to an extent proportionate to their
distances from the present breeding grounds, and further, the soil
shows no recent disturbance by the seals. This rounding of the bowl-
ders of the abandoned areas was not due to the impingement of sand
driven by the wind. No geologist would be willing to risk his reputa-
tion by asserting that this rounding came from any such agency. The
distinction between the result of sand-blast action and seals' flippers
is very marked.

(2) A careful examination among the roots of the grass will often
show the former presence of seal by the peculiar appearance of the soil,
due to the excrementa of the seal and the occurrence of a thin mat of
seal hair. The attention of Dr. George M. Dawson was called to such
a felt of hair upon the summit of Hutchinson Hill, and both he and
Dr. 0. Hart Merriam collected specimens of it from among the grass
roots at that locality.

(3) At the rear of the rookeries there is usually an area of mixed
vegetation — an area the boundary of which is sharply defined, and
between which and the present breeding grounds occurs a zone of
grass of only a single variety. In the immediate vicinity of the pres-
ent breeding grounds only scanty bunches are to be seen. These
gradually coalesce as the line of mixed vegetation is approached. The
explanation of this is that the seals were formerly so abundant as to
destroy the normal mixed vegetation at the rear of the breeding
grounds, and that the decrease of the seals has been followed by the
encroachment of the uniform variety of grass.

(4) The statements made to me by competent observers who have
lived upon the islands for years all agree that the shrinkage in the
breeding area has been rapid during the past five or six years.

After observing the habits of seals for a season, I unhesitatingly
assert that to satisfactorily account for the disturbance to vegetable
life over areas whose extent is visible even to the most careless and
prejudiced of observers, would require the presence of from two to three
times the amount of seal life which is now to be found upon the islands.
That there has been enormous decrease in the seals there can be no ques-
tion. (J. Stanley-Brown.)

Have observed carefully the areas occupied by the seals on the rook-
eries and hauling-out grounds, especially at Northeast Point and the
Eeef, on St. Paul Island, in 1884, 1885, 1886, and 1891, and on both rook-
eries the areas formerly occupied by seals have greatly decreased, so
much so that at first appearance it seemed, in 1891, as if the hauling-
out grounds had been entirely deserted. Subsequent examination dis-
closed the fact that this was not strictly true, there still being a small
number of male seals left on the grounds. Have also observed that the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 183

seals are much more scattered ou the breeding rookeries than in former
years ( 1884, 1885, 188G) ; also that the number of seals in the water has
proi)ortionately decreased, and that they have grown very much more
shy and difficult to ai)i)roacli. Without presuming to be absolutely cor-
rect, would estimate the number of seals present at St. Paul Island
during the year 1891 to about 10 per cent of th« number therein former
years of observation— 1884, 1885, 1886. (John C. Cantwell.)

I did not notice any falling off in the size of the rookeries from the
landmarks to which they came when I first saw them daring the first
two years I was on the island, and all agreed, in discussing the mattei",
that the seals had never been more numerous than they were; but in
the following years, and particularly in 1888 and 1889, no other opinion
was heard than that the animals had greatly diminished, and in this
opinion I fully coincided. (Henry J!^. Clark.)

During the seasons of 1890 and 1891, 1 was in command of the revenue
cutter Rush, in Bering Sea, and cruised extensively in those waters
around the seal islands and the Aleutian group. In the season of 1890
I visited the islands of St. Paul and St. George, in the months of July,
August, and September, and had ample and frequent opportunities of
observing the seal life as compared with 1870. I was astonished at the
reduced numbers of seals and the extent of bare ground on the rookeries
once teeming with seal life. In 1890 the North American Commercial
Company were unable to kill seals of suitable size to make their quota
of 60,000 allowed by their lease, and in my opinion, had they been per-
mitted to take 50,000 in 1891, they could not have secured that number
if tliey had killed every bachelor seal with a merchantable skin on both
islands, so great was the diminution in the number of animals found
there. (W. C. Coulson.)

I arrived with my command at St. Paul Island June 7, 1891. At that
date very few seals had arrived, and but a small number had been killed
for fresh food. On the llith of June, 1891, we were at St. George Island
and found a few seals had been taken there, also for food, the number
of seals arriving not being enough to warrant the killing of any great
number. During that year I was at and around both these islands
every month from and including June until the 1st day of December
(excepting October), and at no time were there as many seals in sight
as in 1890. I assert this from actual observation, and it is my opinion
we will find less this year. (W. C. Coulson.)

During my annual cruising in Bering Sea and to and from the Pribilof
Islands I have carefully noted the number and appearance of seals in
the water and on the breeding rookeries from the deck of my vessel, and
have also repeatedly visited the hauling grounds from year to year, and
it was about 1884 and 1885 that bare spots began to appear on the rook-
eries, so mucli so that myself and the other officers often spoke of it
and discussed the causes therefor. The decrease in number of seals
both on the Pribilof Islands and in the waters of Bering Sea and North
Pacific has been very rapid since 1885, especially so in the last three or
four years, and it is my opinion that there is not now more than one-
third of the number of seals in these waters and on the islands that
there were ten years ago. (Leander Cox.)

During my last visits to the islands I observed a very marked diminu-
tion in the number of seals thereon as contrasted with the herd on the
rookeries five or six years previously. I am familiar with the area and
topography of the various rookeries on the islands, and have observed

184 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

til at spaces formerly occupied by seal herds are now vacant and parts
of tliem covered witli grass. This dimiimtion was particularly notice-
able in 1887 and 1888, the last two years' visit to the islands. (James
H. Douglas.)

For many years prior to 1890 I have observed the rookeries from my
ship and also from the islands. The first decrease in the number
appearing on the rookeries and in the surrounding sea that I particu
larly noticed was in the summer of 1884, and it has become more ma iked
from year to year since. For the last three or four years their disap-
pearance has been very marked. In October, 1890, I made a trip from
Unalaska to St. Michaels. When about 20 miles south of St. George
we commenced to watch for seals passing the Zapadnie rookery close
inshore along the west end of St. George Island to Otter Island and
Seal Island rock; thence to Northeast Point, about a mile and a half
offshore. When we started, I requested the officers to keep a sharp
lookout and to report if they saw any seals in the water. I was on
deck most of the time myself also, and we only saw two seals in tlie
whole run; whereas ten years ago, wlien on a similar voyage, seals were
so plentiful that it was impossible to count them. From my long obser-
vation I do not think there are as many seals by two-thirds now annu-
ally arriving on the islands or in those waters as there were ten years
ago, when I first commenced to notice that they were decreasing. By
this statement I mean to say that only one-third as many are now to be
seen as formerly. (M. C. Erskiue.)

Seals have decreased in numbers very rapidly in the last few years,
and to anyone who saw the breeding rookeries as I did in 1880 the
change is most wonderful. (C. L. Fowler.)

It was on the breeding rookeries and among the cows that I first
began to notice the deciease in seal life, and I do not think there were
more than one-fourth as many cows on the breeding rookeries in 1891
as were there in 1887. (C. L. Fowler.)

I have been a resident of the seal islands for the past ten years; for-
merly assistant agent of the Alaska Commercial Company, now agent
of the North American Company, and during tliat time was engaged
in the taking of seals. I have listened to the testimony of J. C. Red-
path, as above, and fully concur in all that he has said concerning seal
life, with the exception that the number of seals on the islands this
season are, in my judgment, not more than one-fourth of what they
were in 1887. (0. L. Fowler.)

In those days (from 1809 to 1882 or 1883) we used to get plenty of
seals on the Zoltoi pands near the Eeef rookery, and now there are
none there. It was in 1884 that I first noticed a decrease in the seals,
and it has been a steady and a very rapid decrease ever since 188(5, so
that at present there are not one fourth as many seals on the island as
there was every year from 1809 to 1883. (John Fratis.)

In 1889 I made careful observations of the rookeries on St. Paul
Island and marked out the areas covered by the breeding grounds; in
1890 I examined these lines made by me the former year, and found a
very great shrinkage in the spaces covered by breeding seals. In 1889
it was quite difficult for the lessees to obtain their full quota of 100,000
skins; so difficult was it in fact, that in order to turn off a sufficient
number of 4 and 5 years old males from the hauling grounds for breed-
ing purposes in the future, tlie lessees were compelled to take about
50,000 skins of seals of 1 or 2 years of age. I at once reported this

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 185

fact to the Secretary of the Treasury, and advised the taking of a less
number of skins the following year. Pursuant to such rei)ort the Gov-
ernment tixed the number to be taken as (10,000, and further ordered
that all killing of seals upon the islands should stop after the 20th day
of July. I was further ordered to notify the natives upon the Aleutian
Islands that all killing of seals while coming from or going to the seal
islands was proliibited. These rules and regulations went into effect
in 1890, and pursuant thereto I posted notices for the natives at various
points along the Aleutian chain, and saw that the orders in relation to
the time of killing and number allowed to be killed were executed upon
the islands. As a result of the enforcement of these regulations, the
lessees were unable to take more than 21,238 seals of the killable age
of from 1 to 5 years during the season of 1890, so great had been the
decrease of seal life in one year, and it would have been impossible to
obtain 60,000 skins even if the time had been unrestricted. (Charles
J. Goff.)

The Table A, appended to this affidavit, shows how great has been
the decrease on St. Paul Island's hauling grounds, bearing in mind the
fact that the driving and killing were done by the same persons as in
former years, and were as diligently carried on, the weather being as
favorable as in 1889 for seal driving. I believe that the sole causes of
the decrease is pelagic sealing, which, from reliable information, I under-
stand to have increased greatly since 1884 or 1885. Another fact I
have gained from reliable sources is that the great majority of the seals
taken in the open sea are pregnant females or females in milk. It is
an unquestionable fact that the killing of these females destroys the
pups they are carrying or nursing. The result is, that this destruction
of pups takes about equally from the male and female in'crease of the
herd, and when so many male pups are killed in this manner, besides
the 100,000 taken on the islands, it necessarily affects the number of
killable seals. In 1889 this drain upon male seal life showed itself on the
islands, and this, in my opinion, accounts for the necessity of the lessees
taking so many young seals that year to fill out their quota. As soon
as the eifects of pelagic sealing were noticed by me upon the islands
I reported the same, and the Government at once took steps to limit
the killing ui)on the islands, so that the rookeries might have an oppor-
tunity to increase their numbers to their former condition ; but it will
be impossible to repair the depletion if pelagic sealing continues. I
have no doubt, as I reported, that the taking of 100,000 skins in 1889
affected the male life on the islands and cut into the reserve of male
seals necessary to preserve annually for breeding purposes in the
future, but this fact did not become evident until it was too late to
repair the fault that year. Except for the numbers destroyed by pelagic
sealing in the years previous to 1889 the hauling grounds would not
have been so depleted, and the taking of 100,000 male seals would not
have impaired tbe reserve for breeding purposes or diminished to any
extent the seal life on the Pribilof Islands. Even in this diminished
state of the rookeries in 1889 I carefully observed that in the majority
of cases the 4 and 5 year old males were allowed to drop out of a
"drive" before the bachelors had been driven any distance from the
hauling grounds. These seals were let go for the sole purpose of sup-
plying sufficient future breeders. (Charles J. Goff.)

I believe there has been a great decrease in the numbers of the fur-
seal species. I do not believe that there are now one-tenth as many
fur seals frequenting the Pribilof Islands as there were ten years ago.

186 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Nine or ten years a^o, when lying off tlie Pribilof Islands in the fall,
the young seals used to play in the water about the vessels in large
uuuibers; in going to the westward in the month of May many seals
were always to be seen between Unalaska and the Four Mountain islands.
In midsummer, when making passages between Unalaska and the Pri-
bilof Islands, used to see large bodies of fur seals feeding; they were
invariably to be met with most numerously about 60 miles northwest
true from Unalaska, and from there up to and from the feeding grounds.
When last I visited the rookeries, three years ago, in 1889, I noticed a
great shrinkage in the area covered by seals on the rookeries. (Charles
J. Hague.)

In 188G and 1887 there appeared to be enough seals, and the men were
kept pretty steadily at work after the first few days of the season until
the catch was completed. Good-sized skins were taken in these years,
and there was no trouble in getting them, but large seals grew very
scarce on the island in 1888, and still more so in the three following
years. I am sure the size of the rookeries on St. Paul Island and the
number of seals on them in 1891 were less than one-half their size and
number in 1886. (Alex. Hansson.)

Coincident with the increase of hunting seals in the sea there was an
increase in the death rate of pup seals on .the rookeries; also a per-
ceptible diminution of female seals. As hunting increased it became
self evident, even to the most casual observer, that the rookeries were
becoming devastated. It is positively a fact that there are not near as
many seals occui)ying the rookeries now, at the present time, as there
were when I first saw the islands. The vacant spaces on the breeding
and hauling grounds have increased in size from year to year since
1884, and have been very noticeable for the last four or five years.
When I first went to the seal islands the seals were actually increasing
in numbers instead of diminishing. Two facts presented themselves
to me later on : First, seals were arriving each year in diminished num-
bers; second, at the same time that the female seals were decreasing
in numbers the number of dead pups on the rookeries were increasing.
The indiscriminate slaughter of seals in the water has so depleted
their number that the company is at present unable to get their quota
of skins on the island as allowed per contract with the Government,
and is restricted to such an insignificant number that it is not enough
to supply food to the native population of the islands. It is an indis-
putable tact that large portions of the breeding rookeries and hauling
grounds are bare, where but a few years ago nothing but the happy,
noisy, and snarling seal families could be seen. * * * The driving
rookeries also necessarily have suffered, as witness the difference in the
catch, a drop from 100,000 to about 20,000 in 1890. (W. S. Hereford.)

I have been employed on the seal islands since 1882, have resided
upon them continuously for ten years, and have a personal knowledge
of the seal life as it exists on the islands and in the waters surrounding
them. There was less than one-third the number of seals on the islands
last year than in 1882. The decrease in the number of seals coming to
the islands was first noticed and talked about two or three years after
I first came to live here; and since 1887 the decrease has been very
rapid. A careful inspection of the rookeries each returning season since
1887 showed that the cows were getting less and less, although it was
a rare thing to find a cow seal that did not have a pup at her side.
(Edward Hughes.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 187

Ten or twelve years ago the rookeries and sea were full of seals, bnt
now there are not a great many. We used to kill 85,000 in less than
two months' time on St. Paul Island, and our peo])le earned plenty of
money to buy everything they wanted, and in the winter we killed 2,000
or 3,000 male pups for food and clothing. Now we are not allowed to
kill any more pups, and only 7,500 male seals for food, and the people
are very much worried to know what is to become of them and their
children. (Jaeob Kotchootten.)

I remember the first time I noticed a decrease of seals on the rook-
eries, about seven or eight years ago, and the seals have become fewer
every year since. We used to kill 85,000 seals on St. Paul Island in
less than sixty days' time until 18i)0, when they became so few we
could not take more than about one fourth of that number in the same
length of time. (Nicoli Krukoff.)

All our people know the seals are getting scarcer every year, and we
think it is because of the schooners coming in and shooting the cows
in the sea. (Mcoli Krukoff.)

About 1885 a decrease was observed, and that decrease has become
more marked every year from 1885 to the present time. (Aggei Ku-
shen.)

There are not one-fourth as many seals now as there were in 1882,
and our people are very much alarmed to know what is to become of
them after the seals are killed off. If the seals decrease as fast as they
have during the past five or six years there will be none left in a very
short time for us to live upon. (Aggei Kushen.)

During the time from 1885 to 1889 there was a very marked decrease
in the size of the breeding grounds on St. Paul Island, and from 1887 to
1889 I also noticed a great decrease in the areas covered by the rook-
eries on St. George Island. (Abial P. Loud.)

In his report of 1886 and 1887 George R. Tingle, special Treasury
agent in charge of the seal islands, reported having measured the rook-
eries on the islands, and that the seals had largely increased in number,
giving the increase at about 2,000,000. From this report I dissented at
the time, as I was unable to see any increase, but, on the contrary, a
perceptible decrease, in the rookeries. I expressed my views to many
on the islands and all agreed that there had been no increase in the seal
life. The measurements of the rookeries on which Mr, Tingle relied
were made with a common rope by ignorant natives while the seals were
absent from the islands, the grounds covered by them being designated
by Mr. Tingle from memory. (Abial P. Loud.)

During the three years following 1882, namely, 1883, 1884, and 1885, 1
was not upon the islands. Upon my return in 1886 I noticed a slight
shrinkage in the breeding areas, but am unable to indicate the year of
the period of my absence in which the decrease of breeding seals began.
From the year 1886 to 1889, inclusive, my observation was continuous,
and there was a greater decrease of the seals for each succeeding year
of that period in a cumulative ratio, proportionate to the number of
seals killed by the pelagic sealers. (H. H. Mclntyre.)

In 1886 I again assumed personal direction of the work upon the
islands, and continued in charge to and including 1889. And now, for
the first time in my experience, there was diflBculty in securing such
skins as was wanted. The trouble was not pai ticularly marked in 1886,

188 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

but increased from year to year to an alarming extent, nntil in 1889, in
order to secure tbe full quota and at the same time turn back to the
rookeries such breeding bulls as they seemed to absolutely need, we
were forced to take fully 50 per cent of animals under size, which oiight
to have been allowed one or two years more growth. Concerning this
matter I reported to the Alaska Commercial Company, under date of
July 16, 1889, as follows: "The contrast between the present condition
of seal life and that of the first decade of the lease is so marked that
the most inexpert can not fail to notice it. Just when the change com-
menced I am unable from personal observation to say, for as you will
remember I was in ill health and unable to visit the islands in 1883,
1884, and 1885. 1 left the rookeries in 1882 in tlieir fullest and best
condition and found them in 1886 already showing slight falling off, and
experienced that year for the first time some difficulty in securing just
the class of animals in every case that we desired. We, however,
obtained the full catch in tliat and the two following years, finishing
the work from the 24th to the 27th of July, but were obliged, particu-
larly in 1888, to content ourselves with smaller skins than we had hereto-
fore taken. This was in part due to the necessity of turning back to the
rookeries many half- grown bulls, owing to the notable scarcity of breed-
ing males. I should have been glad to have ordered them killed instead,
but under your instructions to see that the best interests were con-
served, thought best to reject them. The result of killing from year to
year a large and increasing number of small animals is very ap))arent.
We are simply drawing in advance upon the stock that should be kept
over for another year's growth." (H. H. Mclntyre.)

Q. How does the number of seals on the rookeries this year compare
with the number five years ago? — A. The number now is about one-
fourth of what they were then. (Noen Mandregin.)

In 1887 I began to notice a diminution in the number of seals arriv-
ing at the islands, which was due to the indiscriminate killing by sealing
vessels in the open sea, some 50 or 60 miles distant. While we still
obtain about the usual number of skins, many more are taken from the
younger animals than formerly, and are somewhat inferior in quality.
(John Malowansky.)

From 1885, which was about the time the sealers appeared in the
waters, the decrease in seal life was rapid, and the natives commenced
saying "no females," "no females," until now we are confronted with
depleted rookeries and probable extermination. (John Malowansky.)

Q. Have you noticed any perceptible difference in the number of
seals on rookeries from one year to another? — A. Yes.

Q. About how much less is the number of seals during the past year
than they were six years ago? — A. The number of seals this year is
about one fourth of what they were six years ago, and about one-half
of what they were last year.

Q. In what way do you form your above opinion as to the relative
number of seals on the rookeries? — A. By the fact that many spaces on
the rookeries which were formerly crowded are now not occupied at all.
(Anton Melovedoff.)

About 1886 I noticed that the lines of former years were not filled
with cows, and every succeeding year since then has shown a more
marked decrease. In 1889 the bachelors were so few on the hauling
grounds that the standard weight of skins was lowered to 5 pounds,

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 189

and hundreds were taken at only 4 pounds in order to fill the quota of
100,000. (A. Melovedoff.)

Until the schooners came into Bering Sea the rookeries were always
well filled, and many of them had grown steadily for years, when it
was no uncommon thing for the lessees to take the quota of 85,000
seals on St. Paul Island between June 1 and 20 of each year. After
1884, when the original two or three sealing vessels had grown to be a
well-organized fleet, we found a steady decrease of seals on all the
rookeries, and we found it difficult to secure the quota of skins, and in
1881) the lessees had to lower the standard of weight lower than ever
before in the history of the island. (Simeon Melovidov.)

From the year 1874 till 1885 we were able to get from St. George and
St. Paul islands 100,000 male seals within the ijeriod known as the
sealing season of six weeks, from the 10th of June to the 1st of August,
and stili leave a large percentage of marketable seals. In X885, and in
every year thereafter until I left in 1887, there was a marked decrease
in the number of marketable skins that could be obtained in each year
during the sealing season. We were able, doAvn to the last year (1887),
to get our total catch of 100,000 seals, but in order to get that number
we had to take what in previous years we would have rejected, namely,
undersized skins, i. e., the skins of young seals. Prior to 1887 we had
endeavored to take no skins weighing less than 8 pounds, but in order
to make up our quota in the last- mentioned year we had to take skins
weighing as little as 6^ i)ounds to the number of several thousands.
(T. F. Morgan.)

In the years 1885, 1886, and 1887 my attention was attracted not only
to a diminution in the number of killable seals appearing on the island,
but to a decrease in the females as well. Up to the year 1884 the breed-
ing space in the rookeries had increased, and from that year down to
1887, when I left the island, the acreage covered by the rookeries which
were occupied by seals constantly diminished. (T. F. Morgan.)

My attention was called to the decrease of seals and the depletion of
the rookeries at an early date after my arrival. I attempted to study
the habits and conditions and to note the numbers of seal on the sev-
eral rookeries and hauling grounds. The natives and employees of the
Alaska Commercial Company were unanimous in their opinion that the
seal had been decreasing steadily and rapidly since 1884. I reported
the fact to Agent Goff, who had found similar conditions existing on
St. Paul, and he so reported to the Department, and suggested that
not more than 60,000 seals should be taken in any one season in future.
In pursuance of instructions from Agent Goff, I left St. George Island
on the 19th of July, 1890, and landed on St. Paul Island on the 20th of
the same month, and remained there until August, 1891. During the
month of July, 1890, I walked over the rookeries and hauling grounds
of St. Paul Island, and Agent Goff pointed out to me the linos to which
in former years the seals hauled, and the large areas which they cov-
ered ; and then he called my attention to the small strip covered by
seals on that date, which was smaller than the year previous. Agent
Goff stopped the killing of seals by the lessees on and after the 20th of
July, 1890, because of the depleted condition of the hauling grounds;
and I fully concurred in his order and action. I spent the sealing season
of 1891 on St. Paul Island, and pursuant to instructions of Agent Wil
liams, I gave my time and special attention to the study of the condi-
tion of the rookeries, both the breeding and hauling grounds. I visited

190 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the rookeries daily fiom the 7th to the 22d of July — during the period
when the rookeries are fullest and at their best — and I carefully noted
their condition and the number of seals ; the number of cows to the
family, and the number of idle, vigorous bulls upon each rookery.
(Joseph Murray.)

Upon my first visit to the rookeries and hauling grounds of the island
of St. Paul my attention was attracted to the evidences ot recent and
remote occupancy by the seals. Marked differences were noticeable in
tlie appearance of vegetation on large areas formerly occupied as breed-
ing and hauling grounds, while near the water's edge, more recently
occupied, the ground was entirely bare of vegetation, enabling one to
trace the gradual decrease of areas occupied during the last six to
eight years. My examination of the rookeries on St. Paul and St.
George during the years 1890, 1891, and 1892 enabled me to trace the
yearly decreasing area occupied by the fur seals on these islands.
Aside frora the evidences of deserted rookeries and hauling grounds
shown by native inhabitants of each island, the grounds occupied in
former years were now deserted and grass grown. The silent witness
of the deserted rookeries confirms the testimony of the resident agents
of the lessees of the islands and of the native inhabitants that the
number of seals began to decrease with the advent of pelagic sealing,
and that the yearly decrease has been in proportion with the yearly
increase in the number of vessels engaged in that enterprise. (S. E.
N^ettleton.)

The decrease in the number of seals coming to the islands in the last
three or four years became so manifest to everyone acquainted with the
rookeries in earlier days that various theories have been advanced in
an attempt to account for the cause of this sudden change, and the fol-
lowing are some of them: (1) "A dearth of bulls upon the breeding
rookeries;" (2) ''Impotency of bulls caused by overdriving while they
were young bachelors," and (3) "An epidemic among the seals." (L.
A. Noyes.)

Q. Have you noted any perceptible difference in the number of seals
on the rookeries from one year to another? If so, what changes have
you observed ? — A. Within the last four or five years I have observed a
decided decrease in the number of seals on the rookeries.

Q. In what proportion have the seals decreased within the time men-
tioned'?— A. As far as my judgment goes, I should say at least one-
half. (J. C. Eedpath.)

As the schooners increased the seals decreased, and the lines of con-
traction on the rookeries were noticed to draw nearer and nearer to the
beach, and the killable seals became fewer in numbers and harder to
find. In 1886 the decrease was so plain that the natives and all the
agents on the islands saw it and were startled, and theories of all
sorts were advanced in an attempt to account for a cause. (J. 0.
Eedpath.)

I had no difficulty in getting the size and weight of skins as ordered,
nor had my predecessors in the office, up to and including 1884. The
casks in which we packed them for shipment were made by the same
man for many years, and were always of uniform size. In 1885 these
casks averaged about 47^ skins each, and in 1886 they averaged about
5()i skins each, as shown by the records in our office. After this date
the number increased, and in 1888 they averaged about 55f skins per
cask, and in 1889 averaged about 60 skins per cask. These latter were

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 191

not such skins as we wanted, but the superintendent on the islands
reported that they were the best he could get. (Leon Sloss.)

The number of seals on the Pribilof Islands is decreasing. I saw
positive proof of this on St. Paul Island last season. (Z. L. Tanner.)

I had an excellent opportunity to observe some of the seal rookeries
during' my first visit to the islands, and spent much time in studying
the habits of the seals, both on the rookeries and in the adjacent waters.
I was particularly impressed with the great numbers to be seen, both
on land and in the water. During the summer of 1889 the Rush was
engaged cruising in pursuit of vessels engaged in illegal sealing, so that
our anchorages off the seal rookeries that season were short and infre-
quent, hence I did not have the opportunity to observe tliem as closely
on land as the preceding year. During 1890 the Rush was not engaged
in preventing sealing outside the shore limit, and we spent much time
in full view of the seal rookeries and cruising about the" seal islands,
and I also made frequent visits to the breeding grounds. The deserted
appearance of the rookeries and the absence of seals in the water was
very noticeable and was a matter of general remark among the officers
of the vessel who had been on former cruises. Very large tracts of the
rookeries which I had formerly seen occupied by the seals were entirely
deserted, and the herds were much smaller than those of 1888. My
attention was also called, by those conversant with the facts, to the
grass growing on the inshore side of some of the rookeries, and to the
three different shades of grass to be seen, indicating the spaces that
had not been occupied by the seals for several years, owing to their
diminished number. The darker shade showed where the growth first
commenced, and a lighter shade for each succeeding year. There were
three or four differently shaded growths, reaching down to the sand of
the rookeries, and on that portion of the rookeries occupied by seals
they were not lying near as compact as in 1888. In our frequeiit pas-
sages during 1890 between the Aleutian group and the seal islands we
sometimes made an entire trip without seeing a seal. This was entirely
different from the experience of preceding years, indicating a great
falling off of seal life. (Francis Tuttle.)

In the year 1880 I thought I began to notice a falling off from the
year previous of the number of seals on Northeast Point rookery, but
this decrease was so very slight that probably it would not have been
observed by one less familiar with seal life and its conditions than I;
but I could not discover or learn that it showed itself on any of the
other rookeries. In 1884 and 1885 I noticed a decrease, and it became
so marked in 1886 that everyone on the islands saw it. This marked
decrease in 1886 showed itself on all the rookeries on both islands.
Until 1887 or 1888, however, the decrease was not felt in obtaining skins,
at which time the standard was lowered from 6 and 7 pound skins to 5
and U pounds. The hauling grounds of Northeast Point kept up the
standard longer than the other rookeries, because, as I believe, the
latter rookeries had felt the drain of the open-sea sealing during 1885
and 1886 more than Northeast Point, the cows from the other rookeries
having gone to the southward to feed, where the majority of the sealing
schooners were engaged in taking seal. (Daniel Webster.)

In pursuance of Department instructions to me of May 27, 1891, 1 made
a careful examination during the sealing season of the habits, numbers,
and conditions of the seals and seal rookeries, with a view of reporting
to the Department from observation and such knowledge on the subject

192 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

as I miglit obtain whether or not, in my opinion, the seals were dimin-
ishing on the Pribilof Islands ; and if so, the causes therefor. As a reisult
of such investigation, I found, from the statements made to me by the
natives, Government agents, and employees of the lessees, some of wliom
had been on the islands for many years, that a decrease in the number
of seals had been gradually going on since 1885, and that in the last
three years the decrease bad been very rapid. A careful and frequent
examination of the hauling grounds and breeding rookeries by myself
and assistant agents during the mouths of June, July, and August
showed that the seals had greatly diminished in number. We found
large vacant spaces on all the rookeries, which in former years during
these months had been covered by thousands of seals. Prior to 1888
the lessees had been able to take 100,000 skins from male seals, but I
am clearly of the opinion that not more than one-third of that number
of merchantable skins can be taken during the year 1891, (W. H.
Williams.)

DECREASE OF SEALS,

Management of rookeries not the cause.

In studying the causes of diminution of seal life, there were found a
variety of actual and possible sources of destruction which are eifective
in varying degrees. FortuDately, the most important of these sources
were directly under my observation, and the following facts presented
tliemselves for consideration: The restrictions upon the molestation of
the breeding grounds and upon the killing of females has been impera-
tive both on tbe part of the Government and lessees since the American
ownership of the islands, so that in the taking of seals no injury could
possibly have occurred to the females and bulls found thereon. For
some years past the natives were permitted to kill in the fall a few thou-
sand male pups for food. Such killing has been prohibited. It is not
apparent how the killing of male pups could have decreased the number
of females on the breeding grounds. (J. Stanley-Brown.)

If the seals were as numerous to-day on the Pribilof Islands and the
manner of driving and killing conducted in the same manner as during
my experience there, 100,000 male seals of from 2 to 4 years of age could
be taken from the hauling grounds annually for an indefinite period
without diminution of the seal herd. (Charles Bryant.)

Because of the manner of killing seals on the islands, the precautions
taken to kill only males from 2 to 5 years, and the careful limitation of
the numbers taken, I am fully convinced that the taking of seals on the
Pribilof Islands could never affect the numbers of the seal herd or
deplete the rookeries. (S. N. Buynitsky.)

I was in the employ of the Alaska Commercial Company, the former
lessees of the seal islands, and their instructions were to use the utmost
care in taking their quota of seals, so that there might be no diminution
in number from year to year, and I personally know those instructions
were rigidly enforced. (Leander Cox.)

If no other agency is at work in destroying seal life, 100,000 bachelor
seals can be taken from the Pribilof Islands yearly for an indefinite
period, provided the rookeries were in the same condition they were ii^.
1871. Of this I am convinced from the fact that the seals continued
to increase during all the time 1 was upon the islands, when 100,000
were killed every year except one, when 95,000 were taken. (Samuel
Falconer.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 193

The management of the sealeries upon Copper Island, under Russian
occurjatiou, was left wholly to the native chiefs and ignorant laborers
of the Russian-American Company. The work of killing the seals and
curing the skins was done by them in a very unsystematic, careless
way; but even then it was understood that as the seals are polygamous
the surest way to secure an increase of the herd was to kill oft' surplus
males and spare the females, and this was systematically practiced,
resulting, as far as I am aware, most satisfactorily. After the expira-
tion of the franchise of the Russian-American Company, in 1867 I think
it was, and their abandonment of the island, and the execution of the
lease to Hutchinson, Kohl & Co., in 1871, several difterent parties visited
the island, killed seals injudiciously, and inflicted great injury upon the
rookeries. They were restrained to some extent by the natives from
indiscriminate slaughter, but I have no doubt they killed more males
than they ought to have done, and perhaps also some females. Upon
my arrival upon the island, in 1871, the native chief told me that the
seals were not as plentiful as they had been formerly. I announced
that we intended to secure 6,000 skins that year. They protested that
it was too many, and begged that a smaller number be killed for one
year at least. We, however, got the 6,000 skins as proposed, and an
almost constantly increasing number in everj^ subsequent year as long
as I stayed on the islands, until in 1880 the rookeries had so developed
that about 30,000 skins were taken without in the least injuring them.
This is proved by the fact that the increase for the next ten years allowed
still larger numbers to be killed, amounting, I think, in one of the years
of the second decade of the lease to about 40,000 skins. In order to
secure uniformity in the methods pursued respectively upon the Pribilof
group and Commander Islands, the respective lessees of the two
interests sent Capt, Daniel Webster, an expert sealer of many years'
experience in the business, and who was at the time in the service of
the Alaska Commercial Company at St. Paul Island, to assist and
instruct me through the summer of 1874 in the best manner of handling
seal droves, salting skins, and generally in the conduct of the business.
In working under his direction, I found that the methods pursued by
the respective parties upon the different sealeries did not differ in any
essential feature. The main object in both places was to select good
skins for market and spare all female seals and enough vigorous bulls
to serve them. When the supply of bulls is more than enough I have
no doubt the number of off'spring is diminished. The bulls, when over-
numerous, tight savagely for the possession of the cow seals, and unin-
tentionally destroy many young in their conflicts. The healthiest
condition of a rookery is no doubt when, under the laws of polygamous
reproduction for this species, the proportion of the sexes is properly
balanced. (C. F. Emil Krebs.)

Following the surrender of occupancy of these islands by the Russian-
American Company in 1868, the sealeries were left open to all parties,
and various expeditions visited them unrestricted by any govern-
mental control. Their catches amounted in 1868 to about 15,000, in
1869 to about 20,000, and in 1870 to about 30,000 skins. In 1871 the
Russian Government executed the lease to Hutchinson, Kohl & Co.,
and it was found necessary to restrict the killing for this year to about
6,000 skins, because the rookeries had been largely depleted by the
excessive killing, unwise methods, and heedless husbandry. The result
of improved methods showed themselves at once, and the rookeries
steadily increased in size and number of occupants. We were thus
enabled to procure an almost constantly increasing number of skins
H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 13

194 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

from year to year during the whole term of our lease. We were unre-
stricted as to the numbers to be taken, and after the first two years of
the leJise were urged by the Eussian authorities upon the islands to take
more than we wanted, in view of the condition of the seal-skin market.
I revisited the islands on various occasions subsequent to 1871, and my
observations coniirmed theiact that we were moving in the right direc-
tion to secure an increase of the rookeries. The experience of the whole
term of the lease proves conclusively that our policy in conducting the
business was a wise one, and that our manner of handling, managing,
and killing the seals was in every respect what it should have been.
This policy was predicated upon the custom of the Russian- American
Company, observed during many years and strengthened by my own
actual experience in conducting the business of taking seals upon the
Pj'ibilof Islands in 1867, 1868, and 1869, and more particularly during
the season of 1868, when there was unrestricted sealing done by various
parties regardless of the future of the rookeries. The pernicious effects
of the methods pursued by them were at once observed, and measures
immediately taken by me, aided by the natives, over whom I had com-
plete control, to correct their practices and bring them within reason-
able customs already proved efficacious in preserving the rookeries from
annihilation. (Gustave Mebaum.)

If the right proportion is maintained between the sexes, the greatest
possible number of progeny is assured. As long as we were able to
keep exclusive control, undisturbed by outside influences, we main-
tained the steady increase of the herd and profitable returns from the
industry. When outside parties, beyond our jurisdiction, carried on
their destructive work to any consitlerable extent, the equilibrium of
the sexes was destroyed, any calculation of those in charge of the
tslauds was nullified or miscarried, and the speedy decrease and ulti-
mate destruction of the seals and sealing industry made certain. (H. H.
Mclntyre.)

We protect and take good care of the seals, and if they were not
killed in the sea we could make them increase upon the islands so that
they would be as many as before. (A. Melovedoff.)

We can care for and protect the mature seals as well as the cattle on
the ranges are cared for and protected, and if they could be guarded
from the hunters in the sea we could by good management again make
the rookeries as large as before. (S. Melovidov.)

Naturally the cause of this diminution was a matter of interest and
inquiry. It was not evident that it was from causes incident to the
taking of the seals upon the island. The greatest care was exercised
in the driving. Under precisely similar conditions the herd hadincreased
in former years. The number of skins originally apportioned to St.
George Island was reduced at an early date, and only increased in pro-
portion to the rookeries' expansion. No disturbance of the rookery was
permitted, even the presence of dogs and use of firearms being prohib-
ited during the presence of the seals. (T. F. Morgan.)

The management of the rookeries the first fifteen years of the Alaska
Commercial Company's lease resulted in a large increase of seals. The
same business management continued and the same system was pur-
sued to the end of the term, yet in the last five years the rookeries feU
off. Clearly it was through no fault of the company, and resulted from
some cause beyond their control. I do not think the Alaska Commer-
cial Company made any mistakes in managing the seal herd. They

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 195

handled tbem in every respect as I would have done if they had been
my own personal property and as I would do if they were now to come
into my hands. If they erred in any particular in their management, it
was in their futile attempt in 1888 and 1889 to stop the waste of the
seal life at the island spigot while it was running- out at the bunghole
of pelagic sealing. The record shows that we did not finish the catch
as early in 1885 as had been done in former years. I do not think this
was from any lack of seals, but was caused by greater care in making
our selection of animals to be killed. (Leon Sloss.)

I again visited St. Paul Island and remained there several days in
the summer of 1885, but saw no evidence then or when formerly on the
island to lead me to think that the lessees were damaging the rookeries
or doing anything different from what a judicious regard for the future
of the industry would dictate. In giving this evidence I am as free
from prejudice as is possible when entertaining, as I do, a feeling that
the late lessees treated me in some measure unjustly, nor have I any
interest whatever in the seals or the products of the sealeries. (George
H. Temple.)

Raids on rookeries not the cause.

It may be worth while to add that the suggestion has been made that
the decrease on the number of seals is due to piratical raids upon the
islands themselves during the breeding season. While it is unques-
tionably true that such raids have occasionally occurred during the past,
and that some skins have been obtained in that way, the number of these
is so trifling in comi)arison with the annual pelagic catch as not to affect
in any way the question under consideration. It is also difficult for one
familiar with the rookeries and habits of the seal to conceive of a raid
being made without its becoming known to the officers in charge of the
operations upon the islands. The " raid theory," therefore, maybe dis-
missed as unworthy, in our judgment, of serious consideration. (Eeport
of American Commissioners.)

The statistics which I have examined, as well as all the inquiries
made, show that in the raids upon the rookeries themselves by maraud-
ers the loss of seal life has been too unimportant to play any part in the
destruction of the breeding grounds. The inhospitable shores, the
exposure of the islands to surf, the unfavorable climatic conditions, as
well as the presence of the natives and Avhite men, will always prevent
raids upon the islands from ever being frequent or elfecti ve. (J. Stanley-
Brown.)

During my stay upon St. George Island several attempts were made
by poachers to get on sliore and steal the seal, but they succeeded, as
far as I am aware, only on three occasions, and in all tliose three I do
not think they killed more than 1,200 or 1,500 seals, including pups. If
any others had effected a landing we should have known it, for the rook-
eries are constantly watched, and the natives are very keen in this
matter. (Harry N. Clark.)

We tried to make a raid on St. George, but the Gorwin was after us
and we kept out of its way. (Peter Duffy.)

During the time I was on St. George Island there never was a raid on
the rookeries to my knowledge, and I never heard of any such raid ever
having taken place. (Samuel Falconer.)

196 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

I have known of one or two sclioouers operating in Bering* Sea aa
early as 1877 or 1878, and tliey were on the rookeries occasionally during
the x>ast ten years, but they can not damage the seal herd much bj^ raid-
ing the rookeries, because they can not take many, even were they per-
mitted, which they are not by any means. (John Fratis.)

Raids on the rookeries by marauders did not, while I was on the
island, amount to anything, and certainly seal life there was not affected
to any extent by such incursions. I only knew of one raid upon St.
Paul Island while I was there. It was by a Jai)anese vessel, and they
killed about 100 seals, the carcasses of which we found on board when
we captured the vessel. (H. A. Glidden.)

We sailed about January from Victoria, British Columbia; sailed
along the coast until the latter part of June and went into Bering Sea,
and sealed as near to St. George Island as we could. We caught about
300 or 400 seals in the sea. Our intention was to make a raid, but were
driven away by a revenue cutter. We left the sea about the latter part
of July. (Joseph Grymes.)

Max. Heilbronner, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I am
secretary of the Alaska Commercial Agency, and as such have in my
custody all record books of the company, and among them the daily
records or " log book" kept by the agents of the company on St. George
Island from 1873 to 1889, inclusive, and on St. Paul Island from 187(3 to
1889, inclusive. In these books every occurrence was carefully noted
from day to day by the agent in charge at the time. They have been
examined under my supervision, and show only the following raids on St.
George Island during the time covered by them, to wit:

October 23, 1881 : The carcasses of 15 dead pups and a cargo hook
were found on a rookery. It was supposed that the crew of a schooner
seen about the island a few days previous landed in the night.

October 10, 1884: Fifteen seal carcasses were found on Zapadnie
rookery. A guard was stationed, and the following night the crew of
a schooner made an unsuccessful attempt to land. The boats were fired
on by the guard and retreated.

July 20, 1885: A party landed under the cliffs in a secluded place
and killed about 500 adult female seals and took the skins away with
them. They killed about 500 pups at the same time, leaving them
unskinned.

July 22, 1885 : A party landed at Starry Arteel rookery and killed
and skinned 120 seals, the skins of which they left in their flight, when
pursued by the guard. They killed also about 200 ijups, which were
left unskinned.

November 17, 1888: A crew landed and killed some seals at Zapad-
nie; how many is not known, but at this season of the year the number
must have been small, because the seals have nearly all migrated.

September 30, 1889 : Eighteen dead pups and four clubs were found
on a beach near a rookery. It is not known whether any others were
killed.

An examination of St. Paul record does not show any destructive
raids upon the island. It is a fact, however, that in July, 1875, prior to
the beginning of the record, the crew of the schooner San Diego lauded
on Otter Island, a small islet 6 miles from St. Paul, and killed and
skinned 1,6(30 seals. She was captured before leaving the island, and
both the skins and vessel were condemned to forfeiture by the United
States court.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 197

The reports of the siiperiutendent for the lessees show that it was the
custom of the company's agent on the islands to frequently patrol the
rookeries whenever the weather was such that a landing could be effected
on them, and to keep watchmen at points distant from the villages,
whose special dutv it was to report every unusual or suspicious occur-
rence. For this purpose the northeast point of St. Paul Island was
connected with the village by telephone in 1880, a distance of 12 miles,
and the natives instructed in the use of the instrument. If any raids
upon the islands, other than those herein mentioned, had occurred, I am
sure they would have been detected and reported to this office. No such
reports are on iile. (Max. Heilbronner.)

H. H. Mclntyre, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I was
superintendent of the seal fisheries of Alaska from 1871 to 1889, inclu-
sive. The records above referred to were kept under my direction by
my assistants on the respective islands. 1 was in frequent correspond-
ence with these assistants when not personally present and am sure that
anything worthy of notice would have been promptly rej)orted to me.
I believe that these records contain a true account of all destructive
raids upon the islands. If there had been any others I should have
heard of them. Every unusual occurrence at any point about the islands
was noted by the keen-eyed natives and at once reported to the com-
pany's office, the matter was investigated, and a record of it entered in
the daily journal. I am confident that the only marauding expedition
that ever succeeded in killing more than a few dozen seals each were
those of 1875, upon Otter Island, and of 1885 upon St. George Island,
the details of which were set forth by Mr. Heilbronner in the foregoing
affidavit. If there were others of which no records appear the number
of seals killed was comparatively very small and had no appreciable
effect upon seal life. (H. H. Mclntyre.)

Sometimes they try to land on the rookeries, but we drive them off
with guns, and they never get many seals that way. (Nicoli Krukoff.)

I do not mean to say that the seals were injured because a few were
killed on the rookeries, when men from schooners landed on the islands
in the night or when the fog was very thick, for the numbers killed in
that way never amounted to much, as it is not often the raiders can
land on a rookery and escape with their plunder. (Aggie Kushen.)

When on a raid we would watch for a favorable opportunity to make
a landing, and then kill male and female fur seals indiscriminately.
Probably for every 500 marketable skins secured, double that number
of pups were destroyed. (L. M. Lenard.)

While I was- on the island there were not more than three or four
raids on the rookeries to my knowledge, and I think that the destruction
to seal life by raiding rookeries is a small part of 1 per cent as compared
with the numbers taken by killing in the water. (A. P. Loud.)

It is often difficult to entirely prevent poaching on the islands,
although in my judgment it has not been of sufficient importance on
the Commander Islands to have any perceptible influence in the diminu-
tion of the herd. (John Malowansky.)

I remember seeing an occasional sealing schooner in Bering Sea as
long ago as 1878, but it was in 1884 they came in large numbers. A.t
first it was supposed they intended to raid the rookeries, and we armed
a number of men and kept guard every night, and we drove off any
boats we found coming to a rookery. Sometimes in a dense fog or very

198 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

dark niglit they landed and killed a few hundred seals, but the numbers
taken in this manner are too small to be considered. (A. Melovedoff.)

One cause of destruction is raiding, which has been done upon the
shores of the islands. A half dozen such raids are known to me per-
sonally; but while it is not possible for me to state with certainty the
skins actually secured by such raids, I believe that, although such
raiding is detrimental, its injurious effect as compared with tlie disas-
trous results of pelagic sealing is insignificant. (T. F. Morgan.)

There was only, as I recollect, four raids on the islands while I was
there; but little or no damage was done, and seal life was not percep-
tibly affected by such marauding. (J. H. Moulton.)

From my personal knowledge of the number of seals killed upon the
Pribilof Islands by raids upon the rookeries during my residence there,
and from information gained from other sources, I conclude that the
number of fur seals killed is infinitely small compared with the number
killed in pelagic sealing — so small as to have no appreciable effect
ui)on seal life upon the islands. (S. R. Nettleton.)

I am told that the diminution of seal life has been attributed to raids
by poachers upon the seal islands. Very few of these have occurred,
and the number of skins obtained by the poachers has been compara-
tively infiiiitesimally small. I think the whole number obtained by
them in this way does not exceed 3,000 or 4,000 skins. We were accus-
tomed always to maintain a patrol and guard upon the rookeries when-
ever the weather was such that poachers could land upon them, and
upon the least suspicious circumstances measures were taken to fore-
stall any attempts to steal the seals. The sea is usually 'rough in the
fall, when poachers try to get in their work ; the shores are, at most
places, inaccessible from boats, and the natives are vigilant and active.
If marine hunting is stopped, they can be safely trusted to defend the
property upon which their very existence is dependent, as they have
done repeatedly, against any single schooner's creV. (Gustave Nie-
baum.)

There were occasional raids made upon the islands (Commander) by
looachers during our twenty years' lease, but they were generally unsuc-
cessful in killing any considerable number of seals, and their raids had
no apx)reciable effect upon the rookeries. (Gustave Niebaum.)

During those years the lawless occupation of seal poaching was in
its infancy. Marauding vessels from time to time were seen in these
waters, but the islands were so well guarded that during my term of
office there never was a successful raid or landing upon either of the
islands of St. I*aul or St. George. The only landing upon any island of
the group was made in June, 1881, upon the unoccuj)ied island of Otter
(not included in the lease), as described in my special report to the
Secretary of the Treasury, dated July 4, 1881. On that occasion a pred-
atory schooner succeeded in landing a boat's crew, who killed 40 or 50
seals, when they were driven off by a boat sent by me for that purpose
from St. Paul, about 6 miles distant. (H. G. Otis.)

Until 1884 sealing schooners were seen but very seldom near the
islands or in Bering Sea, and the few seals taken by the hunters who
raided the rookeries occasionally are too paltry to be seriously consid-
ered, because the raids were so few, and the facilities for taking many
seals off so utterly insignificant. (J. 0. Kedpath.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. ' 199

There was but one successful raid ou the rookeries while I was upon
the island and but 125 seals were killed. I do not consider that raids
on the rookeries have anything to do with the decrease of the number
of seals. (T. F. Eyan.)

While I was on the islands there were no raids on the rookeries, and
seal life was never depleted at that time by such means. (B. F. Scrib-
ner.)

There was but one raid on the rookeries while I was there, and that
took ])lace on Otter Island, about 60 skins being taken. After that raid
the Government kept a man ou Otter Island during the entire summer
to protect it from marauders. Eaids ou the islands never affected seal
life to any extent. (W. B. Taylor.)

I do not remember the precise date of the first successful raid upon
the rookeries by sealing schooners, but I do know that for the past ten
years there have been many such raids attempted and a few of them
successfully carried out, and that as the number of schooners increased
around the islands, the attempted raids increased in proportion, and it
has been deemed necessary to keep armed guards near the rookeries to
repel such attacks. Although a few of the raids were successful and
a few hundred seals killed and carried off from time to time during the
past ten years, the aggregate of all the seals thus destroyed is too small
to be mentioned when considering the cause of the sudden decline of
seal life on the Pribilof Islands. (Daniel Webster.)

DESTRUCTION OF FEMALE SEALS.

Examination of pelagic catch of 1892.

On May 7 of this year I examined 355 salted fur-seal skins, ex steamer
Umatilla from Victoria, and found the same to be fresh skins taken off
the animal within three months. They were killed in the North Pacific.
On examination I found they were the skins known as the Northwest
Coast seals, and belong to the herd which have their rookery on the
Pribilof Islands. The lot contained 310 skins of the fur-seal cow
(matured). From the shape of the skins most all of these cows must
have been heavy with pup, and same cut out of them when captured.
Eighteen skins of the fur-seal male (matured). Twenty-seveu skins of
the fur-seal gray pup, from 6 to 9 months old; sex doubtful.

On June 2 I examined 78 salted fur seal skins, ex steamer Walla
Walla from Victoria, and found the same to be fresh skins taken off
the animal within three months. They were killed in the North Pacific.
On examination I found they were the skins known as the Northwest
Coast seals, and belong to the herd which have their rookery on the
Pribilof Islands. The lot contained QQ skins of the fur-seal cow
(matured). From the shape of the skin most all of these cows must
have been heavy with pup, and the same cut out of them when cap-
tured. Five skins of the fur-seal male (matured). Seven skins of the
fur-seal gray pup, from 6 to 9 months old; sex doubtful.

Ou June 7 I examined 268 salted fur-seal skins, ex steamer Umatilla
from Victoria, and found the same to be fresh skins taken ofl" the
animal within three months. They were killed in the North Pacific.
On examination I found they were skins known as the Northwest coast
seals and belong to the herd which have their rookery on the Pribilof
Islands. The lot contained 212 skins of the fur-seal cow (matured).
From the shape of the skin most all of these cows must have been

200 ' ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

heavy with pup, and same cut out of them when captured. Eleven
skins of the fur-seal male (matured). Forty skins of the fur-seal gray
pup, from 6 to 9 months old; sex doubtful.

On the same date I also examined 124 salted fur-seal skins, ex steamer
Umatilla from Victoria, and found the same to be fresh skins taken off
the animal within three months. They were killed in the i^orth Pacific.
On examination I found that they were the skins known as the North-
west coast seals and belong to the herd which have their rookery on
the Pribilof Islands. The lot contained 93 skins of the fur-seal cow
(matured). From the shape of the skin most all of these cows must
have been heavy with young, and the same cut out of them when cap-
.tnred. Fifteen skins of the fur-seal male (matured). Sixteen skins of
the fur-seal gray pup, from 6 to 9 months old; sex doubtful.

I notice on examining seals caught this sj)ring that there is a lack of
the larger size of productive animals, and the lots mostly contain the
skins of the medium-sized seals, running from 2 to 3 years of age.
(Charles J. Behlow.)

On the 29th instant I examined 2,170 salted fur-seal skins, ex schooner
Emma and Louise from the North Pacific Ocean, and found same to be
fresh skins taken off the animal within four months. They were killed
in the North Pacific. On examination I find they were the skins known
as the Northwest coast skins, and belong to the herd which have their
rookery on the Pribilof Islands. The lot contained 4 skins of the fur-
seal large bulls (breeding bulls); 123 skins of the fur-seal male (mostly
matured) ; 98 skins of the fur-seal gray pup, less than 1 year old, sex
doubtful; 1,112 skins of the fur-seal cow (mostly matured). From the
shape of the skin most all these cows must have been heavy with pup,
and same cut out of them when captured. (Charles J. Behlow.)

As a result of the work I have performed for so many years I am able
to distinguish without difficulty the skin of a female seal from that of
a male seal. There are generally several ways in which I can tell
them apart. One of the surest ways consists in seeing whether any
teats can be found. On a female skin above the age of 2 years teats
can practically always be discovered; when the animal is over 3 years
old even a person who is not an expert at handling skins can discover
two prominent ones on each side of almost every skin. This because
after the age of 3, and often even after 2, almost all females have been
in i)up. There are also teats on a male skin, but they are only very
slightly developed. When the fur is matted, as it is in salted fur-seal
skins, the male teats can not be found, but the female teats of skins
more than 2 years old can be found under all circumstances.

I have been able to test all my observations as to the teats on salted
fur-seal skins by following these skins through the various processes
which I have described. During these processes the skins become thin-
ner and thinner, and the teats more and more noticeable, and at an
early stage in the dressing they must be wholly removed. There are
other ways of distinguishing the skins of the two sexes. I will state a
few of them.

A female has a narrower head than a male seal. By the word " head "
I mean here to include that part of the body from the head down to the
middle of the back. I believe all men who have handled the skins of
both sexes have noticed this point. Then, again, when the whiskers
have not been cut off they generally afford a safe means of distinguish-
ing the sexes. Male whiskers are much more brittle and of a darker
color than those of the female animal. When the male seal is over 6

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 201

years old it begins to have a mane, and for this reason it is after that
age called a wig. Finally, it is generally possible for me to tell the
skins of the two sexes apart by just taking a look at them or feeling
them. I suppose I can do this because I have been at the business so
long that I am an expert in it.

The chief classes of seal skins that I have handled are the Alaska,
the Northwest coast, and the Copper Island skins. I can always dis-
tinguish the skins of these classes. The Northwest Coast skins are
most easily told by the very great proportion of females contained in
any given lot. Among the Alaska and Copper skins I have hardly ever
seen a female skin. (John J. Phelan.)

I was sent to New York from Albany a few days ago by Mr. George
H. Treadwell, with instructions to go through a certain lot of seal skins
which, I understand, he had recently bought in Victoria, and to find
out how many of these skins were taken from female animals. I have
spent four days in doing this, working about seven hours a day.

There were several men who unpacked the skins and laid them before
me, so that all of my time was spent in examining the individual skins.
The lot contained 3,550 skins. I found that, with the possible excep-
tion of two dried ones, they were taken from the animal this year;
they were a part of what is known as the spring catch. I know this
to be the case by the fresh appearance of the blubber and of the skin
as a whole. This affords a sure way of telling whether the skin has
lain in salt all winter or whether it has been recently salted. I per-
sonally inspected each one of these skins by itself and kept an accu-
rate record of the result. I divided the skins according to the three
following classes: Males, females, and pups. In the class of pups I
placed only the skins of animals less than 2 years of age, but without
reference to sex.

I found in the lot 395 males, 2,167 females, and 988 pups. Leaving
out of account the pups, the percentage of females was therefore about
82, The great majority of what I classed as male skins were taken
from animals less than 3 years of age. There was not a single wig in
the lot. On the other hand, nearly all the female skins were those of
full-grown animals. On every skin which I classed among the females
I found teats, with bare spots about them on the far side. Such bare
spots make it absolutely certain that these teats were those of female
skins.

With regard to the pup skins, I will say that I did not undertake to
determine whether they were males or females, because they had a
thick coat of blubber which, in the case of an animal less than 2 years
old, makes it very hard to tell the sex.

All of the skins that I examined were either shot or speared. I did
not keep a close count, but I am of the opinion that about 75 per cent
of them were shot.

The result of the examination is about what I expected it would be.

The figures only confirm what I have always noticed in a general
way, that nearly nine-tenths of the skins in any shipment of Northwest
coast skins are those of female animals. (John J. Phelan.)

Examination of catch of vessels seized.

About seven years since I was on the revenue cutter Gorwin when
she seized the sealing schooner San Diego in Bering Sea. On the
schooner's deck were found the bodies of some 20 seals that had recently
been killed. An examination of the bodies disclosed that all of them.

202 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

with but a single exception, were females, and bad their young inside
or were giving suck to their young. Out of some 500 or 600 skins on
board I only found some 5 of the number that were taken from males.
I have also been present at numerous other seizures of sealing vessels,
some 18 in number, and among the several thousand skins seized I
found on examination that they were almost invariably those of females.
There certainly was not a larger proportion of males than 5 to 100
skins. This great slaughter of mother seals certainly means a speedy
destruction of seal life. (James H. Douglass.)

While in Unalaska in September, 1891, awaiting transportation to
San Francisco, I had an oj^portunity to examine personally the catch
of the steam sloop Challenge, which had been warned out of the sea,
and was undergoing repairs at the harbor named. The catch amounted
to 172 skins, which were all taken in Bering Sea at various distances
from the seal islands, and of this number only three were those of male
seals, one of those being an old bull, and the other two being younger
males. (A. W. Lavender.)

In July, 1887, 1 captured the poaching schooner Angel Dolly while she
was hovering about the islands. I examined the seal skins she had on
board, and about 80 per cent were skins of females. In 1888 or 1889 I
examined something like 5,000 skins at Unalaska, which had been taken
from schooners engaged in pelagic sealing in Bering Sea, and at least
80 or 85 per cent were skins of females. (A. P. Loud.)

I have personally inspected skins taken upou the three schooners
Onward, Caroline, and Thornton, which skins, taken in Bering Sea,
were landed in Unalaska and were then personally inspected by me in
the month of Mayi 1887. The total number of skins so examined was
2,000, and of that number at least 80 per cent were the skins of females.
I have also examined the skins taken by the United States revenue
cutter i^Ms/i from one of the North Pacific islands, where they had been
deposited by what is known as a poaching schooner and taken to Una-
laska, which numbered about 400 skins, and of that 400 skins at least
80 per cent were the skins of female seals. I have also examined the
skins seized from the James Hamilton Lewis in the year 1891, by the
Kussian gunboat Aleut, numbering 416, of which at least 90 per cent
were the skins of female seals. From my long observation of seals and
seal skins I am able to tell the diflference between the skin of a male
and the skin of a female seal. (T. F. Morgan.)

I examined over 12,000 skins from sealing vessels seized in 1887 and
1889, and of these at least two-thirds or three-fourths were the skins of
females. (L. G. Shepard.)

REASON PREGNANT FEMALES ARE TAKEN.

I think cow seals are tamer than young male seals. (Martin Benson.)

A cow seal that is heavy with pup is sluggish and sleeps more soundly
than the males, and for that reason they are more readily approached.
(Henry Brown.)

They are very tame after giving birth to their young and are easily
approached by the hunters. When the females leave the islands to
feed they go very fast to the fishing banks, and after they get their food
they will go to sleep on the waters. That is the hunter's great chance.
I think we secured more in proportion to the number killed than we did
in the North Pacifi.c. (James L. Carthcut.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 203

They sleep more and are less active and moreeasily captured. (Simeon
Chin-koo-tin.)

I think the female seal is less active and more easily approached.
(Peter Church.)

I have noticed that the females when at sea are less wild and distrust-
ful than the bachelor seals, and dive less quickly in tlie presence of the
hunter. After feeding plentifully, or when resting after heavy weather,
they appear to fall asleep upon the surface of the water. It is then they
become an easy target for the hunters. (James H. Douglass.)

I think the females sleep more on the water, and are less active and
more easily taken than the males. (E. Hofstad.)

When the females are with pup they sleep more, are less active, and
more easily approached than the male seals. (P. Kahiktday.)

Think cows are much more plentiful on the coast, sleep more, and are
more easily captured than the male seals. (John Kowineet.)

Think cows are less active and require more sleep than the young
male seals. (George Lacheek.)

I am informed and believe that the reason of there being such a large
proportion of females among the coast skins is because the male, which
is powerful and strong, usually swims more readily and at a longer
distance from the coast, ^nd are so scattered and active and hard to
catch that it does not pay to hunt them. The female heavy with young
easily tires and sleeps on the water, and is easily shot while in that
condition. (George Liebes.)

Mother seals heavy with young are much easier taken, for they are
usually asleep on the water, (William H. Long.)

Q. Why is it, in your opinion, tliat more female than male seals are
killed by the poachers? — A. Because, first, in the passage of the seals
to the islands in the early season the females travel in groups and the
males scatter; secondly, after arriving at the islands the males remain
on or about the hauling grounds, while the females, having their pups
to nurse, go out into the sea to obtain food.

Q. How do you tell the skin of a female from that of a male? — A. By
the nipples and general appearance. (Anton Melovedoft".)

As I understand the fact to be, most of the seals killed in the open
sea are females. My reasons for this conclusion are that, from my
knowledge of the seal, 1 know that the female when heavy with young,
as they are during the early part of the season when on their way to
the rookeries, where they are delivered during the months of June and
July, are much heavier in the water and much less able to escape,
because they are capable of remaining under water to escape for a very
much less period of time than when they are not heavy with young, or
than the male seal would be. (T. F. Morgan.)

It is harder to take an old seal than a young one, the older ones being
more on the alert and are not less active when pregnant. (W. Eoberts.)

Of the seals killed, from 60 to 70 per cent are females, which, during
their northerly migration, are heavy with young, slow of movement,
and require an extra amount of rest and sleep, thus largely increasing
their liability to successful attack. (Z. L. Tanner.)

I have been told that it is easier to catch the female seal at sea than
it is to catch the male seal, but I have no personal knowledge of that

204 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

point. I suppose, however, that there must be some foundation for the
statement by reason of the fact that so small a proportion of male adult
seals are included in what is called the northwest catch. (Emil
Teichmann.)

The cows are less active, sleep more, and are more easily captured.
(M. Thlkahdaynahkee.)

Oow seals sleep sounder on the water, are less active, and are easily
captured. (James Unatajim.)

Cows are more easily captured because they have pups. (Eudolph
Walton.)

They are less active, sleep more, and are easier captured. (Charlie
Wank.)

It is my opinion that female seals are more easily captured and
appear to be more tame than the male seal, and, 1 think, sleep more.
(P. S. Weittenhiller.)

The large proportion of females killed in the North Pacific is due to
the fact, as I explained before, that males pursue their way to the
hauling grounds with dispatch, while the females are more leisurely in
their movements and take frequent rests. (T. T. Williams.)

DECREASE OF SEALS.

Percentage lost of seals Idlled.

From ray experience I am satisfied that 33^ per cent shot with a shot-
gun are lost, and when a rifle is used a larger per cent are lost when
killed. (Peter Anderson.)

We lost three out of four we killed. (H. Andricius.)

On an average, we saved one out of three that were killed. (Bern-
hardt Bleidner.)

It is my honest belief that for every fur-seal skin obtained by pelagic
sealers at least five other seals' lives are taken. (J. A. Bradley.)

During the trip of 1891 I don't think we got more than one seal out
of six that we killed; many were wounded, and others were shot
dead and sank before the boat could get to them. (Thomas Brown.)

Native hunters secure about one-third of all fur seals killed at sea,
while in my belief white hunters secure even a less number in propor-
tion to those killed. (M. Cohen.)

An average hunter will get one out of four of breaching seals and one
out of three of sleepers that he kills, but a common hunter will not get
so many. (Peter Collins.)

And that a vast number of the seals killed by them are lost. (Lean-
der Cox.)

It is my experience that very few, if any, seals were lost by the hunters
who use the spear, but fully 75 per cent of all those killed by the rifle
were lost. (James Dalgarduo.)

From my observation of the methods employed by the open-sea hunters
I believe that a very large proportion of those killed by them are lost.
I have often heard sealers so express themselves, They have said to
me that they get only about one out of five shot or killed} others made

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 205

the loss still greater. I tliiuk the latter statement more nearly correct.
(M. C. Erskine.)

Of seals killed, about four out of five are saved. (F. F. Feeny.)

An experienced hunter like myself will get two out of three that he
kills, but an ordinary hunter would not get more than one out of every
three or four that he kills. (Thomas Gibson.)

I lose about 50 x^er cent when I use the shotgun, and more are lost
when rifle is used. I always shoot them in the head when possible, but
if not possible, I shoot them in any part of the body that is exposed.
(Gonastut.)

About 50 per cent are lost when killed with a shotgun, and a larger
per cent w^hen rifle is used. (James Gondowen.)

The hunters would get, on an average, one out of every four they
killed. (James Grymes.)

On an average, I think the hunters will save about one out of three
that they kill, but they wound many more that escape and die after-
wards. (James Harrison.)

Formerly the seals were gentle and the approach of a vessel did not
even alarm them, but when firearms came into use it so frightened them
that they had to be shot at long range, entailing a loss of not less than
three out of every four or five killed. (M. A. Healy.)

My experience convinces me that a large percentage of the seals now
killed by shooting with rifles and shotguns are lost. My estimate would
be that two out of every three killed are lost. Formerly the killing was
done by spearing, and in later years it was learned that shooting them
was a swifter method of killing. At the start the hunters were inex-
perienced and a large proportion were lost. (James Kiernan.)

I use the shotgun for taking seal, and sometimes I lose one or two out
of ten that I kill. (James Klonacket.)

I have made it my business to find out what proportion of skins of
seals killed are really brought into the market, and from the informa-
tion which I obtained from the sealers, hunters, and those owning the
skins I learned that on an average only about one out of six killed was
secured, varying with the expertness of the hunter. (George Liebes.)

The number of seals actually secured to the number killed does
not exceed about one in four, or about one is taken for every three
destroyed, varying, of course, with the skill and experience of the
hunters. (Isaac Liebes.)

From these conversations I should judge they did not secure more
than one half of the seals killed ; and this, I think, is a large estimate
of the number secured. (A. P. Loud.)

I have frequently noticed, in the harbor of Petropaulovsky, that the
natives, in killing hair seals, are only able to obtain one animal out of
every four or five of those killed, and that they frequently wait about
four days for the bodies to be washed ashore. (John Malowansky.)

None I lost when I used spear. About 20 per cent are lost when
killed with shotgun. (ISTashtau.)

An experienced A No. 1 seal hunter, in shooting sleeping seals with
a shotgun, will get a large proportion of what he kills, and will get one

206 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

out of four breaching seals that he kills; but au ordinary common
hunter like myself will sometimes use ten cartridges and not get one
seal, I can safely say that a common hunter will only get one seal out
of three. (Niles Nelson.)

The white hunters who used guns in Bering Sea were banging away
at the seals sometimes all day long, and they would lose a great many
of those that they shot. I do not think that they brought to the
schooner one-half of those that they killed, to say nothing of those that
they wounded and got away. (Osly.)

But since it has become the practice to hunt seals with guns a good
many are killed, wounded, and lost. Green hunters bang away and
wound more than they kill, and will shoot six or seven before they
get one, and sometimes more. Good hunters will do much better. I
used to get most of the seals I killed, but I have killed live dead in
succession and lost the whole of them. (William Parker.)

Shotgun is exclusively used by me for taking seals. Lose about 20
per cent of those killed with shotgun. (Abel Eyan.)

The captain, mate, and myself went out several times with the stern
boat and we killed 15 the first time we went out. I think we went out
that way three or four times, and we usually got one out of four killed.
I recollect one day when we were hunting, bad weather set up and we
did not get any seals. In good weather we got more seals than we did
in bad weather. (Peter Simes.)

And we got one out of five killed. (John A. Swain.)

On my first voyage I think we got two out of every five that we
killed. (Adoli^h W. Thompson.)

When seal were struck with a spear none were lost; lose about 50 per
cent when killed with shotgun. (Charlie Tlaksatan.)

I had in my employ men who are old seal hunters and who were for-
merly engaged in that business, and they have often told me that they
lost at least two out of every three they killed. (M. L. Washburn.)

Percentage lost of seals stnicJc.

The skill of the hunter has a great deal to do with the number of
seals secured of those killed or wounded, but the most expert does not
get more than half he hits, and the average for hunters in general
would be about three in ten. (C. A. Abbey.)

We secure one out of about every five that we shoot at or kill.
(Charles Adair.)

An experienced hunter would get one out of every three that he shot
or killed, and a green hunter would get about one out of every seven or
eight that he shot or killed. (Charles Adair.)

It has been my custom in the last few years to examine the logs of
sealing vessels and to converse with officers and hunters of such vessels
in order to obtain what information I could as to the methods employed
by hunters and the loss of seals occasioned in such pursuit. From the
logs I learned that in many instances 100 rounds of ammunition had
been fired to each skin secured, and often more; and on an average I
found that not over five seals to the hundred shots had been obtained.
The logs further showed that a large number had been wounded and
lost. I also ascertained from the logs and from conversation with

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 207

masters of sailing schooners that not one seal out of ten killed or
wounded had been caught. These inquiries I i)ursued at San Francisco
until quite recently. The chief killing- by poachers was done between
the passes of Aleutian Archipelago and the Pribilof Islands. (George
R, Adams.)

Have always used a shotgun and rifle in taking seal since a young
man. I rarely lose any seal I shoot, as I never shoot at them unless
they are very close to the boat. (Adam Ayonkee.)

Have always used a shotgun for taking seal, and lose about 40 per
cent of what I shoot. (Maurice Bates.)

'So seal were lost when struck with spear. About 40 per cent of seal
shot with shotgun are lost, and more when the rifle is used. (Wilton
0. Bennett.)

I use the shotgun for taking seal. I lose about 25 per cent of the
seals shot. (Edward Benson.)

The spear and shotgun have been used by me. But few seals are
lost that are struck by spear. About 66 per cent are lost when shot
with shotgun, and a larger proportion are lost when rifle is used. (Mar-
tin Benson.)

On the Pioneer we had a couple of good hunters, who would get
almost all they shot at, while some of our hunters would lose a good
many that they would kill and wound. A green hunter will not get
more than one out of five, and I have known one hunter on our vessel
who shot eight shots and got only four seals. Indian hunters that use
spears seldom lose any that are struck, and there is no wounded to go
away and die. (Neils Bonde.)

This year the seals are wilder than the year before ; I think it was
because they were hunted so much. We did not capture as many in
proportion to the number shot as we did the year previous, and did not
save more than one out of six that we shot. (Thomas Brown.)

We got on an average three or five out of every twelve killed and
wounded. It depends a great deal upon the weather. There were lots
of seals in the water at that time. (Thomas Brown.)

The average hunter would get one out of every three that he shot;
a poor hunter not nearly as many. There are 21 buckshot to a shell.
* * * When they are in school sleeping we get a good many. We
did not get as many as we shot at in Bering Sea as we did on the coast.
If we got one out of every three we were doing pretty well. (Charles
Chalall.)

I used a shotgun almost exclusively last season, and lost about one-
third of all furs shot. (Julius Christiansen.)

I think about 50 per cent of the seals shot with shotgun are lost, and
greater proportion are lost when shot with a rifle. (Peter Church.)

I always use the shotgun for taking seal. I think about 25 per cent
are lost. (William Clark.)

Over 50 per cent are lost when shot with shotgun. (John C. Clement.)

My observation of the seal hunting by white hunters in 1888 is that
they do not secure more than two or three out of every hundred shot.
The number of shots fired by a hunter in an ordinary day's sealing
is something enormous, and the waste of seal life in the water ia

208 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

dreadful to contemplate. * * * The proportion of loss of seals
shot by white hunters in the Otto was quite as great in 1891 as by
the hunters in the year before stated. I have never seen any black
pups in the North Pacific Ocean. (Louis Culler.)

When it was rough weather we got one out of six that we killed or
wounded, and in smooth weather we could get on an average one out of
three and sometimes three out of five. (John Dohrn.)

On an average, all the hunters got one out of three or four seals
that they killed or wounded. There were plenty of seals in the water
at that time. (Richard Dolan.)

We got one out of every five or six that we killed or wounded. We
wounded a great many that we did not get. (George Fairchild.)

When I was a young man the Indians used the spear for taking seals;
now they have learned from the white men to use the shotgun. About
three out of ten are lost that are shot. (Frank.)

The hunters used rifles and shotguns. They got about one out of
every six they shot at or killed, and sometimes they got none. The
great majority of them were females. We used rifles, we had experi-
enced hunters on board, and we got one out of every three killed oi
wounded. (William Frazer.)

Q. What percentage of seals are taken compared to those you destroy
in doing so? In other words, how many do you actually get of those
you shoot? — A. About 30 per cent.

Q. Is it not a fact, when you first started in the business and was
inexperienced in hunting, that you, like all other beginners, destroyed
a much larger proportion than you now do? — A. Yes; a little more in
proportion. (Edward W. Funcke.)

Indians lose a less number of the seals shot at and wounded or
killed than white hunters. When they use spears they get nearly all
they wound. When they use shotguns they do not get more than one
out of eight killed or wounded. In conversation with boat steerers
and boat pullers I have frequently heard them state that hunters would
sometimes fire from 75 to 100 shots without bringing in a single seal.
The hunters would claim they secured nearly all they fired at or killed,
but it is known that this is not true. It is impossible to say what pro-
portion of the seals fired at are killed or wounded, but taking the run
of hunters, good and poor, I should say that the best get about 50 per
cent of those shot at, while the poorest do not get more than one out
of fifteen fired at. (E. M. Greeuleaf.)

The native hunters used spears exclusively in hunting the seals, and
secured fully two-thirds of all struck. I am of the opinion that with
firearms not more than one-third of the animals shot are actually
secured. (A. J. Guild.)

Have always used a shotgun for taking seal, and lose about 25 per
cent of the seals I shoot. (Henry Haldane.)

I use the shotgun exclusively for taking seal. About 65 per cent of
the seal hit are lost. (Martin Hannon.)

Q. According to your experience, what percentage of animals that
are shot are actually taken by the boats ? — A. That depends a good
deal on the man that shoots them. Some fellows will miss four out of
five and another may miss three out of five and cripple them. I think
on a general average we will get about three out of five. (H. Harmsen.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 209

Q. What percentage of seals are taken compared to those yon destroy
in doing so; in other words, how many do you actually get out of those
you shoot f — A. We get about 75 per cent of them.

Q. Is it not a fact that when you first started in the business and
was inexperienced in hunting, that you, like many others, destroyed a
much larger proportion than you now do'? — A. Yes, sir; it is. (Andrew
J. Hoffman.)

The shotgun was exclusively used by our hunters. I can form no
idea as to the amount of seals lost. Some hunters lost more and some
less. It ranges all the way from 10 to 75 per cent, according to stories
told by hunters. (O. Holm.)

We used shotguns, and secured about two seals out of five that we
shot. (Alfred Irving.)

The Indian hunters with spears would not wound or lose but very few
seals that they struck, but the ordinary white hunter will, on an average,
lose over half that he kills and wounds. (James Jamieson.)

About 40 per cent shot with shotgun are lost. When the rifle is used
a larger per cent is lost. (J. Johnson.)

Have always used shotgun and rifle for taking seal. I never lose any
seal when I shoot them, because I always shoot them close to. (Johnnie
Johntin.)

The spear and arrow were used to take seal when I was a boy, but
now I use the shotgun and rifle. At least 50 per cent are lost when shot
with shotgun. When rifle is used a larger portion of seals are lost. (P.
Kahiktday.)

I always use the shotgun for killing seal. I lose about four out of
ten that I shoot. (King Kashwa.)

I always use the shotgun for taking seal. Sometimes I lose two and
three out of ten that I shoot. (Jim Kasooh.)

Fully one-half the seal shot with shotguns are lost, and a much
larger proportion when the rifle is used. None were lost when struck
with a spear. (Mike Kethusduck.)

On an average we got one or two out of every six or seven that we
wounded or killed. (James Kennedy.)

Constant shooting has frightened them and made them wild, so that
they have to be shot at great distances unless found asleep. Much
depends for successful hunting upon the weather, as it is difiicult to
get accurate aim when both the hunter's boat and the seal are in motion.
A poor hunter does not secure more than one out of every five shot or
aimed at. Good hunters do better. (James Kiernan.)

The first sighted was August 4, longitude 136° 32' west, latitude
52° 46' north. During the days following August 4 canoes were
lowered, but their search for seals was fruitless. On August 14, before
entering Bering Sea, a seal was speared by the Indians off Marmont
Island, which was bearing NW. ^ W. 35 miles. We entered the sea
at 6.30 J), m. on the 22d day of August and at 9 o'clock the following
morning we got our first seal in Bering Sea. It was shot by one of
the white men in a boat. We were at this time about 25 miles west by
north of Northwest Cape on Uniniak Pass. On the same day four
other seals were shot, and three not recovered. Two sank and the
other escaped badly wounded. The following day the captain shot

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 14

210 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

two, losing one, and the other boat brought one seal on board. On the
25th of August we were 125 miles southeast of St. George Island. The
Indian hunters were out all day and brought in three seals, the white
hunters getting none. Tlie captain informed me that day that the pre-
vious year he had taken in this locality 148 seals in one day, and that
one of his hunters gut 38 and lost 40, which he shot. The next day the
two boats and canoes were out, and the captain brought back one, but
had shot and lost six others, one of which sank. The other boat
reported that they had shot seven, but all sank before they could get
them, the water being so colored with blood that it was impossible to
see the bodies sufQcieutly to recover them with the gaff. The two
Indians brouglit back ten seals, all speared. Out of the number taken
on board four were full of milk. On the 27th the Indians brought in
two seals and the captain one, which were all they had seen. On the
29th seventeen seals were taken; the captain got three, having lost
two, killed or wounded. The other boat brought in three, having lost
two, and the cook shot one from the schooner^s deck. Out of these
seven were females, which covered the decks with milk while they were
being skinned. I am convinced that at the very least white hunters
lose 50 per cent of the seals they hit, and probably the majority of
those wounded will ultimately die. (Francis E. King-Hall.)

When a seal is struck with a spear we never lose him. About 50 per
cent are lost when shot with a shotgun. (Eobert Kooko.)

About 60 per cent of the seals are lost when shot with a shotgun.
When rifles are used a much larger proportion is lost. (James Lacheek.)

Of all the fur seals struck in the entire season by both implements
more than two-thirds were actually secured, the greater proportion of
losses resulting from the use of the shotgun. (James E. Lennan.)

The average hunter will fire ten times to get one seal. I think on an
average he gets one seal out of every three killed. (William H. Long.)

Q. What ijercentage of seals are taken comiiared to those you destroy
in doing so: in other words, how many do you actually get out of those
you shoot? — A. I should say we get about 80 per cent of those we
shoot.

Q, Is it not a fact that when you first started in the business and
was inexperienced in hunting, you, like all other beginners, destroyed
a much larger proportion than you now do? — A. There is no doubt
about that. (Charles Lutjens.)

The shotgun was used exclusively. Over 60 per cent of the seals
shot were lost. (George McAlpine.)

I think I lose about 66 per cent of the seals shot with shotguns.
(J. D. McDonald.)

Taking the general average, we would not get more than two seals out
of every ten that the hunters shot at. Out of every sixty-five seals
tliat were brought aboard the schooner I got one, so I tried to spear as
many as I could after they were shot. We caught more seals in Bering
Sea than we did going along the coast, as we found more of them.
* * * All the seals that we shot at in rough weather were lost. In
fine weather they sleep on top of the water, and we do not lose so many
of them. (William Mclsaac.)

No seals are lost that are struck with spears. With a shotgun about
50 per ^)e»t are lost. (James McKeen.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 211

We got about one out of every five that we killed or wounded. There
was any amount of them that we shot and did not get at all. It seemed
as if a good many got away. * * * We had some white and Indian
hunters. I do not think that we lost as many that year in pro])or-
tion to those that we killed and wounded. They were better hunters.
(William McLaughlin.)

Q. Accordiag to your experience, what percentage of animals that
are shot at are actually taken by the boats ? — A. That is according to the
ammunition that we use. About one-third are taken. (Daniel Mc-
Lean.)

We had Indian hunters who used shotguns. The Indian hunters are
more expert than the white hunters and they do not lose so many
seals as they kill. I think they would get one out of every two or three
killed or Avounded. (Thomas Madden.)

About 50 per cent of the seals shot with shotgun are lost. (Edward
Maitland.)

There were six boats on the vessel. Some of the boats would come
in without a seal after being out all day long shooting, but they would
wound a great many. On an average, taking all the boats together,
they got one out of every five or six that they killed or shot at. We
wounded a great many that we could not get. (Patrick Maroney.)

About 50 per cent are lost that are shot with the shotgun. (Charles
Martin.)

I do not think they would get more than one seal out of every six or
seven they shot, and sometimes only one out of ten. (Henry Mason.)

Our hunter was a good one. His name was Joe Williams. I think
he got one out of every three, on an average. He used a rifle a good
deal, and was a fine shot. Some of the hunters in the other boats would
shoot at the seal and not get any at all, and come in at night without
any, or maybe one or two. There was one hunter from Xova Scotia that
did not kill any, scarcely. (William Mason.)

I think about 33 per cent of the seals shot with a shotgun are lost.
(E. Miner.)

About 20 per cent of the seals I shoot with shotgun are lost. (Amos
Mill.)

Q. What percentage of seals are taken, compared to those you destroy
in doing so; in other words, how many do you actually get out of those
you shoot? — A. About 75 per cent. We lose about 25 per cent.

Q. Is it not a fact that when you first started in the business and
were inexperienced in hunting, that you, like all other beginners,
destroyed a much larger proportion than you do now? — A. Certainly;
there is no doubt about that. (Frank Moreau.)

From my knowledge of the aquatic habits of the seal, and the diffi-
culty of accurate shooting when the object is in the water, I am of the
opinion that a large number of seals are killed by vessels engaged in
the business of taking seals in the open seas which are not caught. I
am unable to form an estimate of the number of seals shot or speared
from vessels which are lost, but in the last two or three years of my
residence at St. George Island, in taking 15,000 seals, I found approxi-
mately three pounds of lead, in the form of slugs, bullets, and buck-
shot, which I personally took from tbe bodies of male seals, some of

212 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

which were so badly wounded that they would have died. I have per-
sonally examined the log of the schooner Angel Dollie, in which it was
stated that the hunters from that vessel got about one seal out of every
ten shot at; also that on one occasion they fired 250 rounds, and got
20 seals; on another occasion 100 cartridges, and got 6 seals, and which
log also stated that the captain personally shot and killed 7 seals, of
which he got only one. (T. F. Morgan.)

They lost very few of the seals they sj)eared. They secured about
all of the seals they speared. (John Morris.)

When in Bering Sea, I had an opportunity to observe the difference
in the number of seals lost by killing them with shotguns and by taking
them with spears. The hunters that used sLotguns lost more than one-
half they shot, while the hunters that used spears seldom ever lost one
that they hit. (Moses.)

It is generally conceded that the Indian hunters in the use of the
spear seldom lose one they kill or wound. (Morris Moss.)

When I was a boy I used a shotgun for taking seal, bought from the
Hudson Bay Company at Fort Simjjson, and have always used a shot-
gun for sealing. I think about two out of ten seal shot are lost. (Smith
Natch.)

Sometimes I lose two and sometimes three seal out of ten I shoot.
(Dan JSathlan.)

It depends a great deal upon the weather as to the amount of seals
obtained by the hunters. After a heavy blow you see the seals lying
on top of the water asleej), and j^ou can get very close to them, and on
an average you would get two or three out of every five or six you kill
or wound, while in rough weather you would not get one out of five or
six killed or wounded. (John O'Brien.)

Not being hunters of experience, our men lost about two-thirds of
all the seal shot. Good hunters would not lose to exceed 25 per cent.
(Nelson T. Oliver.)

We used shotguns, using buckshot, and I have known twenty shots
to be fired at a seal before we got her. When we shot at "sleepers"
we got a good many more than when we shot at "bachelors" or " roll-
ers," and we secured on an average about one out of every three killed
and wounded. The percentage of loss of those killed and wounded is
fully as great as I have stated. (John Olsen.)

When the rifle is used less than one seal for five shots is secured;
many shots miss, but of those seals hit about one-half are secured,
(W. Roberts.)

It is very hard to estimate the number lost of those sliot, but I should
judge an expert hunter would lose certainly from 40 to 60 per cent,
and a hunter not particularly expert would lose from 80 to 85 per cent.
(L. G. Shepard.)

In some instances we ran upon schools of seal and shot five or six,
all of which would be lost; in other instances we would secure about
one-half of those wounded. One-half of all seals shot on the coast are
lost. (William Short.)

About 25 per cent are lost when shot with a shotgun, and more are
lost when shot with rifle. Shotgun and rifle are used by me for taking
seal. (Jack Shucky.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 213

When I used a spear none were lost that were struck. Wlieu shot-
gun is used nearly 50 jjer cent are lost 5 when rifle is used a still larger
percentage is lost. (Martin Siugay.)

No seal were lost when struck with spear or arrow. Fully 50 per
cent of seal shot with shotgun are lost, and a much larger per cent are
lost when shot with a rifle. (Jack Sitka.)

Always use a Hudson Bay gun to take seal with. A Hudson Eay
gun is a single barreled shotgun. Sometimes I lose one and sometimes
two out of ten that are shot. (Thomas Skowl.)

I think about one-third of the seal shot with shotgun are lost. (Fred
Smith.)

Very few are lost when struck with a spear. About 66 per cent are
lost when shotgun is used. (William H. Smith.)

An ordinary hunter will not get more than one out of four that he
shoots at. (Cyrus Stephens.)

About 25 per cent of seals shot are lost. (Joshua Stickland.)

Q. What percentage of seals are taken comimred to those you destroy
in doing so; in other words, how many do you actually get out of those
you shoot 1 — A. I guess we get hardly two-thirds of what we shoot.

Q. Is it not a fact that when you first started in the business and
was inexperienced in hunting, that you, like all other beginners,
destroyed a much larger proportion than you do now? — A. It is.

I have always understood that 33 i^er cent of seals shot with shotguns
are lost. (W. Thomas.)

The hunters use shotguns and rifles exclusively for taking seal. I
think that from what I have been able to learn about half the seal shot
are lost, the hmnters being unable to secure them before they sink.
(John C. Tolman.)

About 60 per cent of the seal shot with shotgun are lost. A much
larger per cent is lost when rifle is used. (Peter Trearsheit.)

I get most all the seals that I hit with the spear. I lose one-half of
those I shoot with a gun. (John Tysum.)

When the spear was used all seal speared were secured. About 50
per cent of the seals are lost when shot with shotgun. Whenever I
have used a rifle for shooting seal a much larger proportion of those
killed have been lost on account of shooting them at a longer distance
from the boat. (James Unatajim.)

I think I generally lose about 75 per cent of the seals shot with shot-
gun. (George Usher.)

I have learned from personal observation and from conversations
with parties that they lose in killed and wounded at least two out of
every three obtained. Other sealers have told me that their loss is
much greater. (Charles T. Wagner.)

About 50 per cent are lost when shot with shotgun. When rifle is
used a much larger per cent is lost. (Rudolph Walton.)

I have often conversed with the hunters relative to the percentage
of the loss of seals to those taken, and some tell me they get one out of
five or six. (Elkan Wasserman.)

214 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

My hunters use shotgun exclusively. They carry a rifle with them
in the boat, but have not used one this season to my knowledge. I
tliink, as near as I can estimate, about 33^ per cent of the seals shot
are lost. (P. S. Weittenhiller.)

From my knowledge and experience in the business it is my convic-
tion that within the last few years, since tiie sealers have become so
numerous in the Pacific and Bering Sea, that not more than one out of
three are secured. (Michael White.)

1 always use the shotgun for taking seal. I think I lose about five
out of every ten that I shoot. (Billy Williams.)

That for every three sleeping seals killed or wounded in the water
only one is recovered. For every six traveling seals killed or wounded
in the water only one is recovered. (Theo. T. Williams.)

Sometimes I lose one and sometimes two out of ten that I shoot with
a shotgun. ( Fred. Wilson.)

When the spear was used very few seal were lost. About 50 per
cent are lost when shot with shotgun. A larger per cent are lost wlien
killed with a rifle. I use the shotgun for taking seal, and lose about
two out of ten that I shoot. (Billy Yeltachy.)

Sometimes I lose one and sometimes two out of every ten that I
shoot. I always shoot the seal close to the boat, so I don't lose many.
(Hastings Yethnow.)

The shotgun is used altogether for taking seal. About 33^ per cent
of the seal shot are lost. (Alf. Yohansen.)

Always use shotgun for taking seal. I lose but very few seal, as I
always shoot them very close to the boat. (Paul Young.)

Have always used the shotgun for taking seal. Think I lose about
three out of ten of those I shoot. (Walter Young.)

In hunting with spears I capture nearly all that I hit. (Thomas
Zolnoks.)

Wounding.

Those only wounded, whether fatally or otherwise, dive and escape
capture. The less severely wounded may, and in many cases doubtless
do, recover from their wounds; but, in the nature of things, many
others must die of their injuries. There is a wide range of chances
between an instantaneously fatal or disabling shot and a slight wound
from which the victim may readily recover, with obviously a large pro-
portion of them on the fatal side of the dividing line. (Dr. J. A. Allen.)

A good many of the seals that I have caught in the last three or four
years liave shot in them and some have been badly wounded. I have
seen white hunters shooting seals out in the sea, and they lose a great
many more than they get, and we sometimes capture some of those that
they have badly wounded. (Bowa-chup.)

Have caught a great many seals that had shot in them. (Peter
Brown.)

We often take seals that have been wounded with a rifle or shotgun,
and in their bodies there are a large number of shot. (James Clap-
lanhoo.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 215

A good many are wounded and escape, only to die afterwards. (Alfred
Dardean.)

When I get seals now a great many have shot in tliem, a thing I never
saw before until about six or seven years ago. (Frank Davis.)

Some that I shoot are wounded and get away, and jirobably die. I
have caught a good many seals that had shot in them. (Ellabush.)

They kill and wound a great many that they do not get. I have
speared a great many seals that had shot in them. (Selwish Johnson.)

I know that a great many must be lost by the white hunters, for a
great many that I catch have shot in them, and some are badly wounded.
(James Lighthouse.)

During the killing season on the Commander Islands we frequently
find in the bodies both bullets and shot. (John Malowansky.)

1 have captured a great many seals with the spear and found shot in
them. (John Tysum.)

When they were wounded we had to chase them, and then sometimes
would not get them. (Patrick Maroney.)

While out seal hunting la.st year I captured a few seals that the white
hunters had wounded and lost, and found a good many shot in their
bodies. I have cai)tured a good many seals lately that had buckshot
in them. (Charley White.)

At the times when the male seals are on the rookeries the large
catches are made. A traveling seal is alert, cautious, quick of hearing,
and easily disturbed. A sleeping seal is at the mercy of anyone. The
large proportion of traveling seals shot at and lost is due to the timidity
of the animal; in fact, all the hunters admit that when there is much
shooting going on the seals are very difficult to get. The loss of sleep-
ing seals, which I estimate as two lost for one saved, is due to the fact
that unless the bullet or shot kills the animal instantly it will immedi-
ately dive, and it is not easy to kill a seal instantly. The head of the
seal affords but a small mark. Even in the case of a sleeper, the
motion of the water keeps it moving. The boat from which the hunter
shoots is also moving, and while there are men who at a distance of 50
or 60 yards can shoot a small object under such circumstances, they
are extremely rare. They are famous as experts and they are highly
rewarded for their skill. Certainly not one in ten of all the seal hunters
can truthfully assert, nor do they attempt to do so when in a confiden-
tial humor, that they kill 50 per cent of their seals dead. I was in the
company of a number of them in Victoria, in 1889, and heard them
talking among themselves of their prowess. Some put forward claims
which the others derided. Any estimate in excess of the one I have
already given called forth uncomjilimentary remarks and charges of
boastfulness. The disinclination of these men to state the absolute
facts, and they alone know what the facts are, in relation to the nura-
ber of seals shot and lost, has been intensified lately by the feeling
that it is necessary for them to make a good showing to back up the
claim that pelagic sealing is not absolutely of the seal herd. (Thomas
T. Williams.)

Many of the seals I have speared had shot and bullets in them.
This was never seen before until about eight years ago, and now it is
a frequent occurrence. (Wispoo.)

A great many that I have caught in the last three or four years have
shot in them, and many have been badly wounded. (Thomas Zolnoks.)

216 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Percentage lost — General statements.

We had a row on board because some of the hunters were green
hands and the men would not go out in the boats with them. They
took the hunters out of our boats and put them into the other boats
that made no catch, and then we kicked tliat they shouhl put the green
hunters into our boats, because everything they would shoot would sink
on them and be lost. (Charles Adair.)

The destructiveness to seal life by pelagic hunting is very great. The
majority of seals killed are pregnant females, so that two lives are often
sacrificed in securing one skin. This is true whether firearms or spears
are used. In addition to this, the number of skins marketed does not
represent the number actually destroyed, for many are killed that are
not secured, while others, though fatally wounded, still possess strength
enough to escape their pursuers. (A. B. Alexander.)

Of those killed the number saved varies with the skill of the hunters.
Last year we lost very few. (Charles Avery.)

A very few are lost when shot with the shotgun, as we shoot them
close to the boat. (Johnny Baronovitch.)

In hunting with the spear we don't lose many that we hit. I never
hunted with guns. (Peter Brown.)

Experienced hunters lose very few seal that are shot, but beginners
lose a great many. (Charles Campbell.)

As to the percentage of seals lost in pelagic sealing where the use of
firearms is employed, I am not able to state of my own observation and
experience, but from conversation with those engaged in the business I
am of the opinion that the number secured is small compared with
those lost in attempts to secure them. (W. C. Coulson.)

None were lost when the spear was used. When the shotgun is used
sometimes they are lost. A few more are lost when rifle is used.
(Charlie Dahtlin.)

Were I engaged at present in sealing I should prefer the spear to the
rifle or shotgun, and I believe its use is not near so destructive to seal
life. (James Dalgarduo.)

The Indians have always hunted seal with a shotgun, and lam sorry
to say that they have killed a great many more than they secured.
(William Duncan.)

From the ammunition we furnished them I learned that some of the
hunters on an average used from two to three rounds of shot to a seal,
while others used from forty to fifty rounds. (George Fogel.)

Have always used the shotgun for killing seal, and but very few are
lost. (Chief Frank.)

Have always used spear for taking seal, and but very few are lost.
(Chad George.)

A very large number of shots are thrown away. In the case of the
Thistle, in her voyage of 1891, she brought in but nine skins, while her
hunters had fired away 260 pounds of shot. She had poor hunters.
(E. M. Greenleaf.)

That in pelagic sealing twice as many seals are lost as are captured.
(W. P. Griflith.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 217

Always shoot the seal close to the boat and rarely lose onej but when
shot at with the rifle I lose a good many. (Hooniah Dick.)

I have always used spears in hunting seals, and seldom wounded or
hit one that I did not get until in 1891, which year, and the only one,
I went to Bering Sea, and used the shotgun part of the time. I found
in the use of the shotgun that a great many of the seals that were
killed or wounded were lost. (Alfred Irving.)

We lose but very few seals that we hit with a spear. (Selwish Johnson.)

When seals were struck with a spear none were lost; a great many
are lost when the shotgun is used. (0. Klananeck.)

I have often heard them say that they only get two or three out of a
school, and when they kill them, if they do not get them right away,
they will sink and be lost. Further, that they lose a good many that
they kill. (James Lafkin.)

Q. Do you generally shoot seals with a rifle or shotgun ? — A. A shot-
gun. Ninety per cent are killed with a shotgun. (Frank Moreau.)

Always use the shotgun for taking seals. I lose very few, as I always
shoot them close to the boat. (Matthew Norris.)

I can not say how many seals are killed and wounded, but there is
no doubt that green hunters lose many, while those more experienced
in business lose fewer. (Morris Moss.)

We used the spear more than the gun and secured nearly all of them
that we hit with it, but lost a great many seals that we shot. We pre-
fer to use the spear, because in so doing we do not lose so many or
frighten them away. (Osly.)

The shotgun is not as fatal as the rifle, but it ruins the skins of the
seals. (Adolphus Sayers.)

Breech-loading firearms (rifles and shotguns) are the instruments
princii)ally employed by pelagic fur-seal hunters, both native and white.
By means of these weapons a greater number of skins are secured in a
season than when spears are used ; but the proportion of seals struck
and lost to those actually secured is much less than when the spear is
used. (John W. Smith.)

The best hunter will fire about 20 cartridges, and they get 10 or 12
seals, while a hunter of less experience will fire 100 rounds and get
nothing, but wiU wound and disable them. (Adolph W. Thompson.)

I have always used spears in hunting the seal, and seldom lose, any
I hit. (Charley White.)

In attempting to determine the sex of seals killed in the Bering Sea
and the North Pacific, and of the number of seals killed in excess of
those actually secured by the hunters, I had interviews with upward
of fifty seal hunters, aside from interviews subsequently had with Indian
hunters. I find this portion of my work by far the most difficult. Much
discussion had already been had about the damaging efl'ect of pelagic
sealing, and the hunters were loath to tell how many seals were killed
and not recovered, and were often averse to making truthful reports
about the sex of the animals killed, but by frequenting their haunts
and cultivating their company for long periods I succeeded in getting
accurate statements from a number of them. (Theo. T. Williams.)

I found that at first the hunters were disposed to brag of their skiU

218 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

and to overestimate their success in securing skins of seals shot at.
The reason for that was that I was about to engage in sealing enter-
prises and tliat I was ma-king inquiries for the purpose of ascertaining
their skill as hunters, with a view to engaging them. The practice in
British Columbia is to pay the best hunters the highest rate per skin.
Men who could shoot fairly well, but who use a shotgun, could be
secured for a sealing voyage from $1 to $1.50 per skin, while hunters
who shot with a rifle and were of recognized skill in some instances
were paid as high as $2.50 per skin, and, generally speaking, as high
as $2 per skin. The reason for this is obvious to those who have inter-
ested themselves in the sealing business. A seal killed with buckshot
is so much punctured frequently that the pelt is of lesser value. It is
not profitable for schooners to engage as hunters men who miss their
chances of killing the seals and blaze away indiscriminately, with small
results. Even though the hunter is only paid for the skin he recovers,
the loss to the vessel by his failure to kill when an opportunity oflers
is equivalent to the profit it would have made on the skin if secured.
For these reasons and on account of the general proneness of men who
consider themselves experts in the use of any weapon to brag, the seal
hunters of British Columbia, as a class, grossly exaggerate the percent-
age of skins they recover to the number of seals aimed at, wounded, or
knied. (Theo. T. Williams.)

In attempting to ascertain exactly the number of seals killed and lost
by the Bering Sea hunters, I found a wide divergence of statement. It
is greatly to the advantage of the seal hunter to have the reputation of
losing but few seals. He is paid by the skin, and the more he catches
the greater his remuneration; but that is not all. The hunter with the
best reputation as a sure catcher is in the greatest demand, can secure
employment in the best schooner, and the largest sum of advance
money. Besides self-interest, there comes vanity to urge the hunter
to make the biggest reputation possible for himself. To use a common
expression, the seal hunters all brag about their sureness of aim. The
best shots use a rifle and fire at a range of from 50 to 125 yards. The
poorer shots depend on a shotgun loaded with buckshot, and will fire
at a seal up to 50 yards away. The Indian hunters use spears, and
paddle noiselessly up to the sleeping seal to plunge the spear in its
shoulder. They never attempt to spear a seal that is awake. An
Indian hunter will paddle in among a lot of "sleepers" and spear them
one after the other, while a white hunter, who uses firearms, alarms
every seal in the neighborhood at the first discharge. The Indians lose
about one-third of all they spear, either from failure to kill when they
strike or because the dead seal sinks too quickly for them to secure it.
The white hunters do not get one-half of all they shoot. Some hunters
are very careful shots and will not fire unless the seal is well within
range, but the seal is likely to sink before the boat can get to it, or if
wounded, will dive like a flash to get away. A number of hunters have
boasted that they secure 95 seals for 100 shots, and some have made
affidavits of even more wonderful exploits. They presume too much
on public ignorance and credulity. (Theo. T. Williams.)

Fortunately, it is not necessary to depend on the statements of the seal
hunters. I secured access to the ship accounts of several sealers, and
found that in every case the consumption of ammunition showed more
than ten cartridges used for every seal skin captured. I spent consid-
erable time among the Si wash Indian sealers, and, while they brag of
their individual prowess, they admitted a loss of 30 per cent at least.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 219

On this subject I append a statement made by Captain Olsen, of the
sealing bark Bessie liuter, at Victoria.

Captain Olsen, of the American schooner Bessie Ruter, of Astoria,
reached Victoria September 27, 1889. In the office of the American
consul. Col. E. Stevens, he said: "I took 550 skins in Bering Sea. Of
these 27 were pups, 520 females, and 3 male seals, which I killed off the
island of Kadiak. Most of the female seals were with young. I had
a green crew and green hunters. They used shotguns and sometimes
the rifle. They got about one seal for every three they aimed at. Some
they missed altogether, and some of the wounded ones got away. There
is great risk of losing a traveling seal. The sleeping seals blow up an
air bladder that keeps them from sinking, but the seals when awake sink
easily. Hooks are used to grapple tliem, but if the boat is some distance
from the seal when it is killed it does not often get it. For that reason
rifle shooting at long range hardly pays. I will get about $7.75 for some
of my skins and $8 for others. My voyage will pay, because I ran the
boat on the cheap. I only had two men to the boat, and only paid my
hunters $1 per skin instead of $2, which is paid to first-class hunters.
Some very skillful hunters do not lose many skins. They will never
fire unless a seal is at close range, and they generally kill. Of course
they lose some from sinking. All the hunters brag about how few they
lose, because they want the reputation of being good hunters. The
better reputation they have the better chance they get.

If Bering Sea were open many new men would come into the business
and the loss would be greater. Only a few men make successful hunt-
ers. It is like being a clever rifle shot. If the best hunters lose ten
or fifteen in a hundred, the other kind lose ten times as many, if not
more. Green hands will throw away a lot of ammunition, shooting at
everything they see, whether it is in range or not. Ton can not stop
them. They will wound more than they kill. (T. T. "Williams.)

DESTRUCTION OF NURSING FEMALES.

We entered Bering Sea through the Muckawa Pass the 1st of July,
and commenced hunting seals wherever we could find them, among
which were a great many cows giving milk, which we killed from 30 to
150 miles from the islands. (Charles Adair.)

I have no exact information as to the proportion of male and female
seals killed by pelagic hunters, but it is my firm conviction, from my
knowledge of the habits of the males in not leaving the islands during
the breeding season, and the well-known fact that mother seals go great
distances in search of food while nursing their young, that the females
are slaughtered in great numbers during their jouneys to and from the
islands by pelagic hunters. (George R. Adams.)

And when in Bering Sea we take seals from 10 to 120 miles from the
seal islands. (William Bendt.)

And the larger proportion of those killed in Bering Sea are also cows.
Have killed cow seals, with milk in them, 65 miles from the Pribilof
Islands. * * * a few male seals are taken, ages ranging from 1 to
5 years. Once in a while we catch an old bull in the Pacific Ocean.
(Martin Benson.)

We came out of Bering Sea the latter part of August and had caught
about 1,700 seals between the Pribilof Islands and Unalaska. We
caught them from 10 to 100 or more miles off St. George Island. (Niels
Bonde.)

220 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

We entered Bering Sea the middle of May and captured 300 while
in there. Most of these were mother seals with their breasts full of
milk. (Thomas Bradley.)

I hunted in Bering Sea in 1889 (that being the only year I ever went
to that sea) and hunted seals with spears about 70 miles southwest off
the islands, and our catch was nearly all cows that had given birth to
their young and had milk in their teats. (Peter Brown.)

Have killed cows with milk about 60 miles off the Pribilof Islands.
A few old bulls were killed by me last season. (Charles Campbell.)

At least seven out of eight seals caught in Bering Sea were mothers
in milk. (Charles Challall.)

We entered the sea through the Unimak Pass, and captured therein
about 40 seals, most all of which had milk in their breasts. (Louis
Culler.)

The waters were full of them at that time. We caught them from 50
to 60 miles off the seal islands. (John Daltou.)

But the seals I caught in Bering Sea were most all cows in milk.
(Frank Davis.)

The proportion of female seals killed in Bering Sea is equally large,
but the destruction to seal life is much greater, owing to the fact that
when a mother seal is killed her suckling pup left at the rookery also
perishes. Impregnation having also taken place before she left the
rookery in search of food, the fetus of the next year's birth is likewise
destroyed. (James H. Douglass.)

We left San Francisco and fished up the coast until we entered Bering
Sea, in July, and sealed about the sea until we were driven oft' by the
revenue cutter Corwin. From there we went to the Copper Islands.
Our whole catch amounted to 900 skins, and we killed most of them with
rifles. We only got about one out of eight that we shot at, and they
were most all females giving milk or in pup. When we cut the hide off
you could see the milk running from the breasts of the seals. The
second year we got over 1,300 skins; some of them were cows with pups
in them, and most all the rest were cows giving milk, and some of the
latter we killed as far from the rookeries as Unimak Pass. (Peter Duffy.)

We entered Bering Sea about April and we got 795 in there, the
largest part of which were mother seals in milk. When we were skin-
ning them the milk would run on the deck. (John Fyfe.)

I know that fully 75 per cent of those we caught in Bering Sea were
cows in milk. (Thomas Gibson.)

My observation and the information obtained from seal hunters con-
vince me that fully 90 per cent of the seals found swimming in Bering
Sea during the breeding season are females in search of food, and their
slaughter results in the destruction of her young by starvation. (M. A.
Healy.)

While in Bering Sea we cruised around the Pribilof Islands in all
directions, often coming within view of them but never landing or mak-
ing any attempt to do so. The proportion of females taken to males
was about 70 per cent, more than two-thirds of these being nursing
cows, while the remainder were 2year olds- and yearlings. On first
entering the sea an occasional pregnant cow would be taken, but this
was uncommon. Of the males taken in Bering Sea the numbers of

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 221

yearlings and very young bachelors was about equal; no bulls were
ever taken. (Norman Hodgson.)

Those that I secured in Bering Sea were nearly all females and had
given birth to their young and were in milk. Our vessel captured
about 460 seals at a distance of about 100 miles from the Pribilot
Islands, most all of which were cows in milk. (Alfred Irving.)

We entered the sea and caught about a thousand there. We sealed
all over on this side of Bering Sea, sometimes being over 150 miles off
the seal islands, and sometimes we were closer. I did not pay any
attention to the proportion of females, but I know we skinned a great
many that were giving milk, because the milk would run from their
breasts onto the deck when they were being skinned. We killed mother
seals in milk over 100 miles from the seal islands. We generally shoot
them when they are asleep on the water. * * * We caught between
300 and 400 seals on the coast and 600 in Bering Sea. We sealed on
the American side of Bering Sea around the Pribilof Islands, any-
where from 10 to 150 miles off. The capture of 1890 was about the
same in proportion to sex as the year before. (James Kean.)

We entered Bering Sea about tlie latter part of July and captured
260 seals from 20 to 100 miles off the seal islands. A large proportion
of them were females nursing their young and their teats were large
and full of milk. (James Kennedy.)

I have observed that those killed in the North Pacific were mostly
females carrying their young and were generally caught while asleep
on the water. (James Kiernan.)

The same day after a chase of an hour we were seized by the U. S. S
Mohican. The total catch of seals at the time of seizure was 48, and
at least 20 were females, the majority of which were in milk. All the
seals \\ ere taken from 120 to 180 miles from St. George Island. (Francis
E. King-Hall.)

When in Bering Sea we are usually from 50 to 150 miles from the
Pribilof Islands. (Andrew Laing.)

I have killed females in milk in Unimak Pass, and even out in the
Pacific Ocean, 200 miles from the land. (E. N. Lawson.)

In Bering Sea, where we obtained about 400 skins, males and females
in about equal numbers were taken. The females were mostly nursing
cows, while the males were young ones, between the ages of 2 and 5
years. (James E. Lennan.)

Another fact in connection with open-sea sealing is that the great
majority of seals killed are females, and that a great part of the females
are pregnant, or in milk. The milking females are most all killed
while visiting the feeding grounds, which are distant 40 or 60 miles, or
even farther from the islands. The female necessarily feeds so that she
can supply nourishment for her young, while the males during the sum-
mer seldom leave the islands. This accounts for the large number of
females killed in Bering Sea. (A. P. Loud.)

Q. Did you ever kill any seals later in the season that were giving
milk? — A. Yes, sir. (Alexander McLean.)

Those we caught in Bering Sea were mostly aU females with milk in
their breasts. * * * The next season, 1890, we got on the way up
between 100 and 200 seals, and then we entered Bering Sea about the

222 ALASKA INDUSTEIE3.

18th or 19tli of July, and I caught 90 seals, mostly all females. * * *
When we were in Bering Sea we hunted from 40 to 200 miles off the
seal islands. (Patrick Maroney.)

About two-thirds of those caught in Bering Sea were females that
had big teats and were giving milk. We could tell that when we were
skinning them, because the milk would run out on the decks. (Wil-
liam Mason.)

We sealed around Unalaska, but did not go toward the Pribilof
Islands. We caught 1,900 seals, all of which were captured in the sea,
close to Unalaska ; most all of them were cows in milk ; but when we first
entered the sea we killed a few cows that had pups in them. * * *
That year we sealed east of the island and caught about 800 seals. I
do not know how far we were from the islands, for we could not see
them. The seals we caught were mostly cows with milk. (Moses.)

I was sealing in Bering Sea during July, August, and September,
1885 and 1886. I was cruising in Bering Sea around about the Pribilof
Islands, and from 100 to 300 miles off. The principal portion of the
cruising was between the Aleutian and Pribilof islands. One of the
principal sealing grounds is oft" Bogslof. (Niles Nelson.)

After entering the sea we got one femaie with a very large pup, which
I took out alive and kept it for three or four days, when it died, as it
would not eat anything. All the others had given birth to their young,
and their breasts were full of milk. (John Olsen.)

The seals taken in Bering Sea are nearly aU grown. We get but very
few young seals. I think we catch in Bering Sea more males in pro-
portion to females than we do on the coast. We catch a good many
females in Bering Sea that have given birth to their young on the
islands and are in milk. I have caught plenty of cow seals in milk
100 miles or more from the islands, but seldom get any that have a pup
in them in those waters. (William Parker.)

We entered Bering Sea about the 15th of August through the TJnimak
Pass and captured therein 1,404 seals, most of which were cows in milk.
On that voyage we caught female seals in milk over 80 miles from the
rookeries whei^ they had left their young. (Charles Peterson.)

The seals captured in Bering Sea were fully 80 per cent females that
had given birth to their young. A fact that I often noticed was that
their teats would be full of milk when I skinned them, and I have seen
them killed from 20 to 100 miles from the seal islands. (Edwin P. Porter.)

Q. How do you know that the marauders kill females principally? —
A. I know that the females, after giving birth to their young on the
rookeries, frequent the open sea in search of food, whereas the males
frequent the hauling grounds or waters immediately around it. At
various times I have seen skins which were seized by the cutters from
the poachers, and they were substantially female skins. (J. 0. Eedpath.)

I have been in Behring Sea but a part of one season. Of the seals
taken, about one-third were males, one-third females with young, one-
third barren and yearlings. (W. Eoberts.)

I have taken nursing females when as much as 100 miles from Prib-
ilof Islands. I estimate that the seals killed by pelagic hunters are at
least 90 per cent females; this estimate is based on the great number
of motherless pups I have observed on the rookeries, and also on state-

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 223

ments made to me by many engaged in pelagic sealing whom I met and
conversed with at Uualaska. (T. F. Ryan.)

We caught 767 seals in Bering Sea that year (1884) from 30 to 150
miles off the seal islands. The most of them were females, for the
reason that they are not as cute as males. A great many of the females
had their breasts full of milk, which would run out on the deck when
we skinned them. * * * My third voyage was in 1889. I sailed
from Yokohama on the Arctic, about the latter part of January. We
cleared under the American flag. * * * We entered Bering Sea
about the 17th of May and caught about 900 seals, the most of them
around the fishing banks just north of the Aleutian Islands. The
majority of them were mother seals. (James Sloan.)

The majority of seals taken in Bering Sea are cows with milk. But
a very few yearlings are taken, and once in a while an old bull is taken.
The male seals taken are between 2 and 4 years old. * * * i have
taken female seals 80 miles oft" the Pribilof Islands that were full of
milk. (Fred Smith.)

Have killed cow seals that were full of milk over 40 miles from the
Pribilof Islands. (Joshua Stickland.)

I have never captured any cows in milk along the coast, but when
in Bering Sea in 1889 I sealed off about 90 miles from the seal islands
and caught cows in milk there. (John Tysum.)

The majority of seals killed in the water are females, and all the
females killed in Bering Sea are mothers who have left their pups on
the rookeries and gone some distance from the island in search of food.
(Daniel Webster.)

Ninety-five per cent of all the seals killed in Bering Sea are females.
(Theo. T. Williams.)

Thousands of the female seals were captured by the pelagic hunters
in Bering Sea during the season of 1891, the most of which had to be
secured quite a distance from the rookeries, owing to the presence of
armed vessels patrolling the sea for miles around the islands. That the
slaughter of the seals was mostly of females was confirmed by the
thousands of dead pups lying on the rookeries, starved to death by the
destruction of their mothers. (W. H. Williams.)

We caught a few seals in there (Bering Sea). When we first went in
we did not see many, but alter we were there awhile we saw plenty of
them that had large breasts that were full of milk, and our catch were
most all females. The average would be about one male to ten females.
We killed cows in milk 150 miles from the seal islands. (John
Woodruff.)

DESTRUCTION OP FEMALE SEALS.

Testimony of pelagic sealers.

My experience in seal hunting is that a much greater number of
females are taken at sea than males of the fur-seal species; and of the
females the majority are pregnant or milking. (Andrew Anderson.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Pacific and Bering Sea"? — A. Yes ; I have taken both male and female
seals, but I suppose the greater per cent that I have taken would be
about 90 per cent, or even more.

224 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Q. What percentage of the skins yon have taken were cows? — A.
About 90 per cent, for the simple reason that the bulls are not migra-
tory. (George Ball.)

Most all the seals taken by me have been cows. I think cows sleep
more and are more easily aj^proached. Never killed but seven old bulls
on the coast of Washington in my life, but have taken a few pups every
year. (Wilton C. Bennett.)

Think the majority of the seals taken are cows. Never killed but
two old bulls in my life. Have killed quite a number of yearling seals
and some young males 2 or 3 years old. (Edward Benson.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Pacific and Bering Sea? — A. Mostly females.

Q. What percentage of the skins you have taken were cows? — A.
About 80 i)er cent. (Daniel Claussen.)

From my experience, observation, and conversation with seal hunters
I am of the opinion that fully 75 per cent of their catch are females.
(Leander Cox.)

I saw one schooner's catch examined at Unalaska in 1889, and there
were found a large percentage of female seals among them. (M. 0.
Erskine.)

Of those taken probably four out of five are females. (F. F. Feeny.)

The seals taken by them (the G. R. White and the Kate Manning)
were nearly all females. (George Fogel.)

Have never killed an old bull in my life, nor have seen one the last
few years. (Luke Frank.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Pacific and Bering Sea? — A. The majority of them are females.
Last year I killed 72, and out of the 72 there was only 3 males.

Q. What percentage of the skins you have taken were cows? — A.
About 90 to 95 per cent. (Luther T. Franklin.)

Off Cape Flattery there is hardly a dozen large males taken out of
every thousand large seals whose skins are called first class; all the
males taken here are small ones. (Thomas Frazer.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Pacific and Bering Sea? — A. About 90 per cent of them were
females.

Q. What percentage of the skins you have taken were cows? — A.
About 90 per cent. (Edward W. Funcke.)

We caught about 160 seals before entering the sea. Over 100 of them
were cows. (John Fyfe.)

Caught 1,500 seals on that voyage. We caught some a little ways
from Victoria, and on the way up to Bering Sea, but the most of them,
about 1,200, we caught in Bering Sea. I was told by the men that they
were nearly all females, and I thought so, too, from the milk that I saw
in their breasts when they were on the deck. I saw over a hundred
little pups taken from the seals, which they threw overboard. (George
Grady.)

To the best of my knowledge and belief about seven of every ten
seals killed in pelagic sealing are females. (W. P. Griffith.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 225

Q. What sex are the seals taken by you or usually killed by hunting
vessels in the North Pacific or Bering Sea? — A. Mostly females. The
biggest percentage, I think, are females.

Q. What percentage of them are cows? — A. I couldn't tell you.

Q. Out of 100 seals that you would catch ordinarily what part of
them would be cows? — A. I am under oath, and I could not tell you
exactly. AJl I can say is the gi'feater portion of them. (Charles H.
Hogman.)

Think the seals taken by me have been about equally divided between
females aud males. Have taken a number of yearlings and some 2 and
3 year old males. Have never killed an old bull. (Henry Haldane.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Pacific and Bering Sea? — A. Two-thirds of them are females.

Q. What percentage of the skins you have taken were cows? — A.
Two-thirds, I should say. (William Henson.)

Q. Do you know of what sex that you have taken in the Pacific and
Bering Sea? — A. The seals that I have taken were principally females.

Q. What percentage of them are females? — A. It is very seldom that
you ever get hold of a male. (Gustave Isaacman.)

My experience has been that the sex of the seals usually killed by
hunters employed on vessels under my command, both in the ocean and
Bering Sea, were cows. I should say that not less than 80 per cent of
those caught each year were of that sex. (James Kiernan.)

We caught about 400 or 500 seals before we got to Bering Sea. I
don't know the precise number. They were bulls and females mixed
in, but the general run of them were females. (William Isaac.)

Q. Of what sex are the seals taken by you or usually killed by hunt-
ing vessels in the ISTorth Pai'ific or Bering Sea? — A. Principally females.

Q. What would be your judgment as to the percentage? Out of 100
that you kill, how many of them would be females? — A. Say I would
bring 2,000 seals in here. I may have probably about 100 males; that
is a large average. (Alexander McLean.)

Q. Whatpercentage of them are cows? Suppose you catch 100 seals,
how many males would you have among them? — A. About 10. The
seals killed by me were about half males and half females; have killed
but one old bull in my life. I have killed quite a number of yearling
seals, but never examined them as to sex. (Frederick Mason.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Pacific and Bering Sea? — A. Mostly females.

Q. What percentage of the skins you have taken were cows? — A. I
should judge about 90 per cent. (Frank Moreau.)

I can not give the exact estimate of the sex, but I know that a large
portion of them are females. (Niles Nelson.)

In going up the coast to Unimak Pass we caught about 400 seals,
mostly females with young, and put their skins on board the Danube,
an English steamboat, at Alatack Bay, and after we got into Bering
Sea we caught 220. We had 200 at the time the lieutenant ordered us
out of the sea, the remainder we caught after. (John Olsen.)

We began sealing off Cape Flattery and captured about 300 seals
along the coast, most all of which were females and yearlings. We did
not capture over 50 males all told on this voyage. About 90 per cent
H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 15

226 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

of all the seals we captured in the water were female seals. We caught
350 seals along the coast, all of which were females excepting HO.
(Charles Peterson.)

The majority of seal killed by me have been cows; have killed a few
small males. (Showoosch.)

From what I have been able to iearn, the majority of seals taken
around Kodiak are females. (John C. Tolman.)

In my conversation with men engaged in seal hunting in the open
water of the North Pacific and Bering Sea, I have not been able to get
sufficient information to form a reliable estimate of the average number
saved out of the total number shot nor of the percentage of females
killed. As a rule, the hunters are extremely reticent about giving
information on the subject to officers of the Government, but from the
well-known fact that the female seal is much more easily approached
than the male, and sleeps more frequently on the water, and is less
active when carrying her young, I have no doubt that the female is the
one that is being killed by the hunter. (Francis Tuttle.)

I believe the number they secure is small as compared with the num-
ber they destroy. Were it males only that they killed the damage
would be temporary, but it is mostly females that they kill in the open
waters. (Daniel Webster.)

I never paid any particular attention as to the exact number of or
proportion of each sex killed in Beriug Sea, but I do know that the
larger portion of them were females, and were mothers giving milk.
(Michael White.)

DECREASE OF SEALS.

Opinions of white sealers.

I have noticed a perceptible and gradual decrease in seal life for the
past few years, and attribute it to the large number of vessels engaged
in hunting them at sea. (Andrew Anderson.)

In the sea, seals are much more timid and make off as fast as possible
at the approach of a vessel, while formerly they were usually quite
curious and would sport and play about the vessel when come uj) with.
I believe this decrease and timidity is due to the indiscriminate slaughter
of the seals by pelagic sealers. (0. F. Anderson.)

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease? — A. I attribute the decrease
to the indiscriminate slaughter of the seals. (George Ball.)

I believe that the decrease in fur-seal life, which has been constant of
late years, is due principally to the number of vessels engaged in hunt-
ing them at sea. (J. A. Bradley.)

Seven or eight years ago, when seals were hunted almost wholly by
Indians with spears, a vessel hunting in the vicinity of Cape Flattery
was sure of getting several hundred skins in about three months, from
March to the end of May, but at the present time a vessel is doing weU
if she gets a much smaller number, because the skins bring much higher
prices. The records of '^ catches" in the last three or four years will
confirm any person who examines them in the belief that the seals are
decreasing in the Pacific Ocean on the American side. I have no reason
to doubt that it is the same on the Eussian side. At present they are
hunted vigorously and with better methods than formerly. The hunters

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 227

have had more experience and understand their habits better, but
notwithstanding this, the catches are decreasing off the coast. (William
Brennan.)

Seals were not as numerous in 1887 as they were in 1877, and it is my
belief that the decrease in numbers is due to the hunting and killing of
female seals in the water. (James L. Carthcut.)

Have noticed that seals are becoming very scarce on the coast the
last few years. The cause of the scarcity of the seals, I thijik, is too
many schooners in the I^forth Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea and the
indiscriminate killing of females with pup in the water. (Peter Church.)

Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared
to the previous years? — A. 1 think there has. (Daniel Clausseu.)

Q. If there is a decrease, to what do you attribute it? — A. To the
killing and hunting of them by seal hunters. I think the indiscriminate
killing of seals in Bering Sea is the cause of their scarcity along the
coast. (John C. Clement.)

There were not nearly as many seals to be found in 1889 as there
were in 1888. I think the decrease is caused by the great destruction of
females killed in the sea by the hunters. (Peter Collins.)

I attribute this decrease [of the seals] to the terrible slaughter now
going on in the sea. (Leander Cox.)

There can be but one cause for the scarcity of seals, and that is the
indiscriminate killing of them in the water, and unless that is stopped
the seals must soon be exterminated. The sea otter, which were plenty
on this coast at one time, are now scarcely seen at all, and the indis-
criminate slaughter of them in the water has almost entirely extermi-
nated the animal. Some few remain in the far north, but they are very
hard to secure. (William Duncan.)

Until hunting and killing were commenced by hunters in the open
sea, I observed no appreciable decrease in the number arriving, which
was about 1884. In my opinion the chasing of the seals and the shoot-
ing of them has a tendency to frighten them and disturb them, and
prevents their increasing as they would if they were left undisturbed
in the waters. (M. C. Erskine.)

The large decrease of seals in the waters of the ocean and sea must
unquestionably be caused by the indiscriminate killing now going on by
poaching schooners, and if not discontinued it will most certainly be a
matter of a very few years before the seals will be exterminated. (M.
C. Erskine.)

The seals have most decidedly decreased in number, caused by the
continual hunting and killing in the open sea. (F. F. Feeny.)

I give them four years more, and if they keep on hunting them as
they do now there will be no more seals left worth going after. I
attribute the decrease in numbers to their being hunted so much. My
experience is that the seal herds in the North Pacific and Bering Sea
have been greatly depleted within the last few years by the constant
pursuit and killing of them in the water by hunters. (George Fogel.)

In my opinion, seals and all other fur-bearing animals are decreasing,
and the cause is pelagic hunting. (William Foster.)

Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared

•228 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

with previous years'? — A. I have not been on the islands in the last few
years, but 1 sliould imagine there has been a great decrease.

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease? — A. To the number of
vessels that are up there engaged in killing seals, nearly all of which
are females. Last year there were 72 vessels fitted out from Victoria
alone, to say nothing of vessels that are fitted out at other places.
(Luther T. Franklin.)

The seals are not so numerous off Cape Flattery as they used to be
some years ago, and it is my opinion it is owing to the constant hunting
by so many schooners. (Thomas Frazer.)

Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared
with previous years"? — A. There is a decrease of about 20 or 30 per
cent.

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease ? — A. I attribute it to their
being overhunted. (Edward W. Funcke.)-

I am decidedly of the opinion that fur-seal life has considerably
decreased of late years, and believe it is due principally to pelagic
sealing. (A. J. (lould.)

While at anchor off" St. Paul Island, the pups playing about the vessel
were very few, and while making a passage between Unalaska and
Pribilof Islands, during the breeding season, did not see a dozen in the
open sea during the whole trip, where formerly I met hundreds. In
going from Unalaska to Atka and returning, during the last of May
and the first X)art of June of this year (1892), I did not see a single fur
seal in the water. I attribute this great decrease to the indiscriminate
slaughter of the species by pelagic sealers and their wasteful methods
of securing skins. (Charles J. Hague.)

Q. To what do you attribute this decrease? — A. Too many in the
business, I suppose; too many after them.

Q. Would you attribute it to the killing of the females, and thereby
there are not nearly as many born? — A. Certainly; it has got all to do
with it.

Q. Then really you attribute the decrease to the killing of the fe-
males?— A. Yes, sir. (H. Harmseu.)

I am decidedly of the opinion that the decrease in numbers of seals
in the North Pacific and Bering Sea is owing to pelagic hunting, and
that unless discontinued they will soon become so nearly extinct as to
be worthless for commercial j)urposes. (J. M. Hays.)

I think the seals are not near as plenty as a few years ago, and they
are much more shy and harder to catch now than they were when I
first went out sealing. I think this is caused by hunting them so much
with guns. (James Hay ward.)

Q. If there is a decrease, to what do you attribute it? — A. To the
amount of seal hunters and hunting that is actually going on. (Andrew
J. Hoffman.)

Seals have decreased very fast the last three years. The decrease is
caused, I think, by the indiscriminate killing of seals in the water.
(E. Hofstad.)

Q. To what do you attribute the cause ? — A. Killing off the females.
Whale killers and sharks kill a good many. (Gustave Isaacson.)

Q. To what do you attribute the cause of this decrease? — A. The
increase of the fleet and killing off all the females. (Frank Johnson.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 229

My knowledge, beiug from long experience, is that the seals are
becoming gradually scarcer in the northern waters, particularly so in
later years. The cause of this decrease I believe to be the indiscrimi-
nate slaughter of the mother seals. They are hunted too much, and
hence motlier seals are becoming scarcer, which, if not checked, will
lead to their early extermination. (Jauies Kiernan.)

He also told me, from his own knowledge, that the Uchuckelset Indi-
ans had a few years ago caught off the coast 1,G00 seals in a season,
and that now they could catch hardly any; that the white men's guns
were not only destroying the seals, but driving them farther from the
coast. (Francis K. King-Hall.)

In my opinion, fur-seal life has not only enormously decreased in
numbers since 1.S86, but it has become greatly scattered and grown
wilder and more timid, forsaking many places where they were formerly
to be found at certain seasons of the year engaged in feeding. This I
attribute to the large number of vessels engaged in killing fur seals
indiscriminately at sea. (James E. Lennan.)

If they keep on hunting them in Bering Sea and the North Pacific in
the same way they have done in the last few years, they will exterminate
them in the same way, because most all the seals killed are females.
The young ones will all die, and every female seal you shoot makes the
killing of two, because after the seal has given birth to her young the
pup will starve to death on the laud, or when you shoot them in the
water they may have a pup inside. (Caleb Lindahl.)

I have observed a very great decrease in fur-seal life since 1885, and
believe it is almost entirely due to the large numbers of vessels engaged
in pelagic sealing. (E. W. Littlejohn.)

The seals are much less plentiful^ the last year I sealed than the first.
I attribute this decrease to the hunting of them in the water and the
increased number of boats and men engaged in the business in the last
few years. (William H. Long.)

Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared
to previous years?— A. There has been a decrease.

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease"? — A. To the hunting of
the seals in Bering Sea. (Charles Lutjens.)

There can be but one reason for the decrease, and that is they are
hunted too much in the open waters. (J. D. McDonald.)

There vfcre not as many seals in 1890 as there were in 1889. I think
there are so many boats and hunters out after them that they are being
killed off. They are hunted too much. (William Mclsaac.)

There were not as many seals as formerly. Have noticed the decrease
in the last three years; caused, I think, by the indiscriminate killing of
female seal. (James McKeen.)

I was also cod fishing in 1884. There were a great many more seals
in the water then than there were in 1889. In 1884, when we were cod
fishing, we met the steam whaler Thrasher^ and I heard the captain
remark that it was a damned shame the way they were killing the female
seals in Bering Sea. (William McLaughlin.)

Q. To what do you attribute this decrease? — A. I think this is on
account of killing those female seals when they have pups, and the
business is getting so that so many vessels are going into it, and they

230 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

are killing tliose pups off. A seal lias not got a chance to go to work
and increase.
Q. The mother seals'? — A. Yes, sir. (Alexander McLean.)

Q. Have you noticed any decrease in the quantity of animals in the
last few years? — A. Yes, sir.

Q. To what do you attribute the cause? — A. Killing off the females.
(Daniel McLean.)

I have given up the sealing business because the slaughtering of the
female seals is making them so scarce that it does not pay. (James
Maloy.)

I think seals are not as plentiful as they used to be; caused, I think,
by the indiscriminate killing of females with pup. (G. E. Miner.)

Q. To what do you attribute that decrease? — A. From the killing of
seals, both by hunters and others. (Frank Moreau.)

Deponent further says that he thinks that the decrease in the num-
ber of seals found in the rookeries and the increase in the number of
dead pups are caused directly by the open sealing in the sea, commonly
called poaching. (T. F. Morgan.)

I am not able to say whether the seal herd is decreasing, but it is
reasonable to suppose that where they are hunted and harassed at all
times by so many hunters they are sure to be driven from their usual
haunts, if not totally destroyed, (i^elson T. Oliver.)

Seals were not as plentiful in 1886 as they were in 1885. I think the
principal cause of that decrease is on account of killing the females in
the water, and also through their getting shy by being chased by the
boats. (Niles Nelson.)

Since the use of rifles and shotg-^ms has become common seals are
much less in numbers and are more shy and timid. (William Parker.)

Seals are not near as plentiful as when I went out in 1888, and I
believe the decrease is due to their being hunted so much with shot-
guns and rifles. (Edwin P. Porter.)

I know that the seals are rapidly decreasing, and I believe it is caused
by killing females in the water. (Adolphus Sayers.)

I took very great interest in the seals, because I used to hunt them
myself, and I noticed a great decrease in the number of seals from what
there was formerly, when I was on sealing voyages. It was, in fact, so
marked that I called the captain's attention to it, saying that we had
seen very few seals. They have been getting scarcer every year since
I have been going to Bering Sea, and if something is not done right
away to protect them there will be no more seals in these waters, I
know as a fact that they are killing them indiscriminately, and all the
hunters care about it is to get a skin. I know something about it, as I
have been sailing from this coast up along those waters for nineteen
years, and, as I said before, I paid particular attention to them, and I
firmly believe if they allow the killing in the sea to go on as they are
now doing it will only be a question of a few years before there will not
be enough to pay anyone to hunt them. (James Sloan.)

I think the seals are decreasing in number all the time, because there
are more vessels out hunting after them and are killing off the female
seals. (Cyrus Stephens.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

231

Q. If there is a decrease, to what do you attribute it? — A. On
account of so much extermination and hunting by the seal hunters.
(Gustave Sundvall.)

T have heard that seal have been decreasing the last few years ; caused,
I think, by pelagic sealing. (W. Thomas.)

The decrease, I think, is caused by the indiscriminate killing of
female seals. (Rudolph Walton.)

From what I know seals have been decreasing very fast in recent
years. Think the decrease is caused by the indiscriminate killing in
the IS^orth Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. (P. S. Weittenhiller.)

My experience is that the seals have been decreasing in numbers for
the last six or seven years, and within the past two or three years very
rapidly, owing to the indiscriminate killing of them by pelagic hunters
and vessels engaged in that business in the waters of the North Pacific
and Bering Sea. (Michael White.)

INCREASE OF SEALING FLEET.

Pelagic sealing as an industry is of recent origin and may be said to
date from 1879. In 1880, according to the official report of the Cana-
dian minister of marine and fisheries, 7 vessels and 213 men were
engaged in pelagic sealing in the North Pacific, securing 13,600 skins,
valued at $103,200. The same authority states that in 1886 20 vessels
and 459 men secured 38,907 skins, valued at $389,070. In 1891 the
number of United States and Canadian vessels had increased to over
100 ; upward of 2,000 men were engaged, and more than 62,000 skins
were secured. (Report of American commissioners.)

The number of seal skins actually recorded as sold as a result of
pelagic sealing is shown in the following table:

Year.

Number.

Year.

Number.

Year.

Number.

Tear.

Number.

1872

1,029

1877

5,700

9,593

12, 500

13, 600

13, 541

1882

17, 700

9,195

a 14, 000

13, 000

38, 907

1887

33, 800

1873

1878

1883

1888

37. 789

1874

4,949
1,046
2,042

1879

1884

1889

40, 998

1875

1880

1885

1890

48,519

1876

1881

1886

1891

62, 500

1

a Number estimated from value given.

One reason for deponent's opinion that the total number of seals in
the Pacific and Bering Sea has diminished very rai)idly is the fact —
which deponent knows from the fact that he buys so large a portion of
the poachers' catch — that there are now engaged in what is called
"poaching" about 80 vessels, and tliat about five years ago not more
than 10 vessels were engaged in poaching; that the total number of
skins brought in by the whole 80 vessels is now not very mucli greater-
than the number brought in five years by 10 vessels. The poaching
vessels a few years ago have been known to get as many as 3,000 or
4,000 skins, and deponent has bought 4,000 skins from one vessel,
whereas no poaching vessel now gets more than a few hundred with
the same size crew. One vessel last year sailing from Victoria made
a catch of 1,900 skins, but this is now an altogether exceptional catch,
and this vessel had a crew twice as large as poaching vessels for-
merly carried, and was equipped with from 12 to 15 boats instead of 5

232 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

or 6. One or two otlier poaching vessels also made large catches — that
is, over 1,200 skins — but the average catch of the poaching vessels ia
not more tljan a few hundred each. This is true, although the poach-
ing vessels are now equipped with much more experienced shooters,
with better rifles, and with better boats than any of the vessels had
five years ago. Many of the poaching vessels now have boats pointed
at both ends, so that they can go backward and forward with equal
ease; the old poacher only had ordinary ships' boats. Deponent
knows this to be true because he has seen the boats and talked with
the captains of the schooners about them. (Herman Liebes.)

I never saw many sealing schooners before 1884, but they have been
coming more and more every year since, and I notice that as the schoon-
ers multiply in the sea the seals decrease on the rookeries. (Aggei
Kushen.)

From 1885 to the present time the fleet of predatory vessels has con-
stantly increased in i^roportion as the seal herd has decreased on the
rookeries. * * * Avery noticeable decrease in the herd commenced,
as I have already pointed out, in 1886, and was coincident in time and
proportionate in extent with the number of seals destroyed in the water.
The business of pelagic sealing in Bering Sea first assumed consider-
able proportions in 1884, and in that year dead pup seals first became
numerous enough upon the rookeries to excite remark upon the islands.
As the sealing fleet increased the starved animals became more numer-
ous. In 1887 fourteen vessels were seized for illegal sealing, and the
eflect was seen in the following year, when a much less number engaged
in the business and the Bering Sea catch amounted, as I am informed,
to about 34,000 skins against about 19,000 or 20,000 in 1888. The failure
of the United States Government to vigorously pursue in 1888 and the
following years the repressive policy so auspiciously begun in 1887, led
to a large increase of the sealing fleet and corresponding destruction of
the herd, but the prohibition of pelagic sealing nevertheless continued,
and the usual proclamation was published by the Government warning
all parties not to kill seals in Bering Sea or waters adjacent to the
Alaskan coast. (H. H. Mclntyre.)

Up to 1883 and 1884 it was only an occasional venturesome vessel
that came around and secured a few hundred skins and thought itself
lucky and cleared out, but since that time not even the smallest craft
is satisfied unless it secures its thousands of pelts regardless of sex.
(W. S. Hereford.)

While in Bering Sea during the summer of 1869 I never saw a vessel
sealing about the islands or anywhere in the sea, nor did I hear any
report of the presence of such sealing vessels in those waters. (J. A.
Henriques.)

I do not know of any sealing schooner that went to Bering Sea until
Captain McLean went there about nine years ago in the Favorite.
•(William Parker.)

Q. What effect, in your opinion, does the increase in the number ol
poaching vessels in Bering Sea have upon seal life? — A. Since the
number of sealing vessels has increased the number of seals coming to
the islands has correspondingly decreased. * * * In 1884 the seal-
ing schooners became numerous. I believe there were about 30 in the
sea that year, and they have increased very rapidly every year since,
unto now there are said to be about 120. (J. C. Eedpath.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 233

I first went out in 18<S5, in tlie schooner City of San Diego, chartered
by myself and others, and my catch for that year was between 2,300
and 2,400 seals. Of that number about 1,900 were caught in Bering
Sea. There were but very few vessels sealing at that time. (Michael
White.)

DECREASE OF SEALS — PELAGIC SEALING THE SOLE CAUSE.

Opinions of Indian hunters.

Fur seals were formerly much more plentiful, however, but of late
years are becoming constantly scarcer. This is, we think, owing to the
number of vessels engaged in hunting them at sea. (John Alexandrofif.)

Fur seals were formerly observed in this neighborhood in great num-
bers, but of late years they have been constantly diminishing, owing
to the large number of sealiug vessels engaged in hunting and killing
them. (Mcoli Apokchee.)

I have noticed that seal have decreased very rapidly in the last three
years, owing to too many schooners engaged in sealing along the
coast of Alaska and Bering Sea. (Adam Ayonkee.)

The seal are not near as plentiful as they used to be. The cause of
the decrease is, I think, too many schooners hunting them off Prince
of Wales Island and around Dixons Entrance. (Maurice Bates.)

Seal are not as plentiful on the coast as they used to be. They have
been decreasing very fast the last few years. I think this is caused by
the indiscriminate killing in the water. (Wilton C. Bennett.)

Seal are getting very scarce. I think the cause of the scarcity is too
many peoj^le hunting seal. (Edward Benson.)

Seals were very plenty in the straits and around the cape until about
six years ago, when tlie white hunters came in schooners and with shot-
guns and commenced to kill them all off, and now there is none in the
straits and we can not get but one or two where we used to get eight or
ten. They are very shy and wild, and are decreasing very rapidly.
(Bowa-chup.)

White hunters came here about five or six years ago and commenced
shooting the seals with guns, since which time they have been rapidly
decreasing and are becoming very wild. When we hunt seals with
spears we creep upon them while asleep on the water and spear them.
A few years ago my people would catch from 8,000 to 10,000 each year;
now we get only about 1,000 or less. * * * Seals used to be very
numerous along the coast about Gape Flattery, and no decrease was
ever noticed in their numbers until soon after the white hunters came
around here — about seven years ago — and commenced shooting them.
Since that time they have decreased fast and have become very shy.
(Peter Brown.)

They were formerly much more plentiful than now, which is owing,
we believe, to the number of vessels engaged in killing them at sea.
(Ivan Canetak.)

Years ago seals were very plentiful from 5 to 10 miles from the shore.
I could see them all around in bunches of from 10 to 20 each, but since
the white man has commenced to kill them with the rifle and shotgun
(in the last five or six years) they have decreased very rapidly. (Charlie.)

234 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Fur seals have decreased very rapidly during the last five years, and
we believe it is due to the large number of vessels engaged in hunting
them at sea. (Vassili Chichinoff.)

Have noticed the seal are decreasing very fast the last four years;
too many schooners are hunting them in the open waters of the Pacific
Ocean and Bering Sea. (Chin koo-tin.)

The last five years fur seal has been growing very scarce, and it is
hard to get any now. There are too many white men with schooners
hunting them off Dixons Entrance, and unless it is stoi)ped the seal
will be all gone. (William Clark.)

Seals are now very scarce and wild along the coast. I believe the
cause of this is that white hunters have been hunting them so much
with guns. (James Claplanhoo.)

Seals used to be very plentiful, and I never noticed any decrease in
their number until white hunters commenced coming here and killing
them with guns, about six or seven years ago ; since that they have
decreased very rapidly and have got very shy. Our tribe used to
have no difficulty in catching 8,000 to 10,000 seals and now we can

not get a thousand. (Circus Jim.)

I have been out sealing on the coast this spring in a schooner that
carried 10 canoes, with two hunters to each cano(\ We were out three
days and caught 5 seals. If we had been out that long six or eight
years ago with the same crew we would have taken between 00 and 100
seals. Seals are wild and shy now, and have become very scarce. I
think the reason for this is that they have been hunted so much by
white hunters who use firearms. (Jeff. Davis.)

Some years ago the fur seal were plenty off" the islands, but since the
schooners have hunted them they are nearly all gone, and it is hard for
the Indians of this village to get any. (Eshon.)

Seals are not so plentiful as they were a few years ago. They began
to decrease about five or six years ago. A good many years ago I used
to capture seals in the Straits of San Juan de Fuca, but of late years,
since so maiiy schooners and white men have come around here shoot-
ing with guns, only a few come in here and we do not hunt in the
Straits any more. I used to catch 40 or 50 seals in one day, and now
if I get 6 or 7 I would have great luck. I have to go a long distance
to get seals now. Seals are wild and afraid of an Indian. They have
become so since the white men and the trader began to shoot them with
shotguns and rifles. In a short time there will be no seals left for the
Indian to kill with a spear. (Ellabush.)

Fur seals were formerly much more numerous than of late years, and
are each year becoming constantly scarcer. I believe this decrease is
due to the number of vessels which are engaged in hunting them at
sea. (Vassili Feodor.)

When I was a young man there were lots of seals around Queen
Charlotte Islands, but now they have become scarce. The last few
times I was out after them I did not see a seal. They have beeu grow-
ing scarcer every year since the white man began hunting them in
schooners. (Frank.)

Fur seal are not as plenty as they used to be, and it is hard for the
Indians to catch any. I think there are too many white men in
schooners hunting seals around Dixons Entrance. (Chief Frank.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 235

Since the white men have been hunting the seal with schooners they
have become very scarce, and it is hard for the Indians to get any in
their canoes. (Lulce Frank.)

Seal have decreased on the coast very fast the last four years. The
reason of the decrease is too much hunting and indiscriminate killing.
(Chad George.)

The seal are becoming very scarce, caused, I think, by the white men
hunting them too much. (Charles Gibson.)

Seal are becoming very scarce this last three or four years, and Indian
hunters can hardly kill them now. Too many schooners are hunting
seal, and Indian hunters have to go a long way in their canoes in order
to get any, and they seldom kill one. (Gonastut.)

Have noticed that seals are decreasing the last four years, caused, I
think, by too many white men hunting seal in the waters of the Pacific
Ocean and Bering Sea. (James Gondowen.)

Fur seals have decreased in numbers of late years, and we believe It
is due principally to the large number of vessels hunting them at sea.
(Nicoli Gregorofif.)

The seal are not nearly as plentiful as they once were, and I think
they are hunted too much by schooners. (Henry Haldane.)

Seals are not as plentiful now as they were before white men com-
menced hunting them with guns around here some six or seven years
ago. They are more shy now and it is much more difficult for the hunt-
ers to creep up and spear them than it was a few years ago. (Alfred
Irving.)

Years ago we could see seals all over the water. They are not so
plentiful now. They have been growing less and less ever since the
white man came in and began to hunt them with guns, about six or
seven years ago, and so many vessels went into the business. (Ishka.)

My idea is that there are too many camp fires around on the coast of
Alaska that scare the seals out to sea. The seal smell the smoke and
wont come near the land ; and there are a large number of people shoot-
ing seal, which scares them away also. (Jack Johnson.)

There are too many schooners hunting seal off Prince of Wales
Island, and it is hard for Indians to get any in canoes. (Johnnie
Johntin.)

Have noticed that seal are decreasing very fast the last few years
along the coast, caused, I think, by pelagic sealing. * * * Think
the seals are most all killed by the pelagic seal hunters in the waters of
the North Pacific Ocean so far from the land that the Indians have no
chance to get any in canoes, as they only go a short distance from the
shore. (P. Kahiliday.)

Do not know why the number of the fur seal seen about these islands
are now less than in former years. (Samuel Kahoorofit'.)

I think the seal are about as plentiful along this coast, but much more
scarce farther west. The cause of this scarcity is too much pelagic
hunting. (Philip Kashevarofi'.)

When I was a young man the seal were very plentiful around here,
but since the schooners began hunting them they have become very
scarce. The white hunter destroyed the sea otter and will soon destroy

23S ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the seal. I don't like to see the schooners around here hunting seal,
for they kill everything they see, and unless they are stopped the seal
will soon be gone. The sea otter is already gone. (King Kashwa.)

Seals have been growing scarcer the last five years, since the white
man began hunting them with schooners, and if they are not stopped
the seal will soon be all gone. (Jim Kasooh).

Seals have decreased very rapidly along this coast in the last three
or four years. The decrease is caused, I think, by schooners using
shotguns and rifles and killing mostly female seals. (Mike Kethusduck.)

The reason of the scarcity is, I think, that there are too many white
hunters sealing in the open waters. (Kinkooga.)

Seal are becoming very scarce on the coast. The reason they are
becoming so scarce is that hunters shoot them with guns and kill cows
with pup. (C. Klananeck.)

Seal used to be plentiful, but now they are nearly all gone. They
are too much hunted by the white men with schooners. (James Klo-
nacket.)

Seal have become very scarce the last three years, and what few there
are are very wild and hard to get at. I think the reason that seal have
become scarce is that they are hunted too much, and too many females
killed with pup. (Eobert Kooko.)

Have noticed that seal are decreasing very fast the last few years.
I think the cause of the decrease is that there are too many schooners
hunting seal in Bering Sea and along the North Pacific Goast. (John
Kowineet.)

Seal are not as plentiful as in former years; have noticed the decrease
in the last three or four years. Think the cause of the decrease is the
great number of schooners sealing in the North Pacific Ocean and Ber-
ing Sea. (George Lacheek.)

Seals are not nearly so plentiful now as they used to be. About seven
years ago white men commenced to hunt seals in this vicinity with guns,
since which time they have been decreasing in numbers, and have
become wild and hard to catch. * * * Seals are not so plentiful
and are more shy than they used to be, and are more difficult to catch,
because they have been hunted so much for the last five or six years
with guns. (James Lighthouse.)

White hunters in numbers commenced to hunt them around Cape
Flattery with guns about six years ago, and since that time the seals
have decreased very rapidly. (Thomas Lowe.)

Since the white man with schooners has been hunting seal they have
been growing scarcer every year, and unless they are stopped the seal
will soon be all gone. The Indians now have to go a long way and
suffer great hardships in order to get any. (Gharles Martin.)

After careful inquiry among our oldest people and weighing my own
experience and observations, I believe the decrease of the Alaskan fur
seal is due altogether to pelagic hunting. (S. Melovidov.)

Since the schooners have commenced to hunt seal they are becoming
very scarce, and the Indians have to go a long ways to get the few that
they do. (Matthew Morris.)

Years ago seals were much more plentiful than they are now, and I

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 237

could see them all around in bunches on the wafer, but since the white
man came here and commenced to kill them with the rifle and the shot-
gun, within the last five or six years, they have rapidly decreased in
number. (Moses.)

When I was a young man seals were very plentiful off Prince of
Wales Island and Dixous Entrance, but since the schooners have
begun hunting seals they have become very scarce, and Indians now are
obliged to go a long ways to kill any, and sometimes they will hunt for
days without getting a seal. (Nashtau.)

Since the white men with schooners began to hunt seals, the last five
or six years, seals have become very scarce, and it is hard for the Indians
to get any now. They have to go a long way and hunt a long time in
order to get one or two seals. (Smith Natch.)

The last four or five years seals have been growing scarcer every
year, owing, I think, to too many white men hunting seals in schooners
off Queen Charlotte Islands and in Dixons. (Dan Nathlan.)

I think the reason of the seal becoming so scarce every year is that
there are too many white men hunting seal in Bering Sea and the Pacific
Ocean and it should be stopped. (Nechantake.)

Seals are not near as plenty as they used to be; too many hunters are
catching them and indiscriminately killing them. (James Neishkaith.)

When I was a young man seals were much more plentiful than they
are now. The last three years, since the schooners began hunting seals,
they have become very scarce, and it is hard for the Indians to get any
now. This year they have killed but two. (Nikla-ah.)

The Indian fur-seal hunters of my people all tell me that the fur seal
are becoming very scarce; too many white men are killing them all the
time, and they kill cows with pup, as well as other kinds. I am the
chief of my people, and they aU tell me what they know. (Peter Olsen.)

Seal are getting very scarce along the coast; cause of the scarcity
is, I think, too many schooners hunting them off Prince of Wales Island.
(Abel Eyan.)

Since the schooners have hunted seal off" the Prince of Wales Island
the seals have become scarce, and it is hard for the Indians to get any
in canoes. In former times they used to get plenty. (Jack Shucky.)

The disappearance of the fur seal is due to the killing by pelagic
seal hunters, who appear in large numbers off this part of the coast;
and the scarcity of the fur seals is in proportion to the number of ves-
sels engaged in seal hunting. (Alex. Shyha.)

Seal have become very scarce the last few years. Too many white
men are engaged in killing seal. (Martin Singay.)

Have noticed a large decrease in seal in the last three years, caused,
1 think, by pelagic sealing in Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.
(Jack Sitka.)

Since the white men have been hunting with schooners they have
become very scarce, and Indians are obliged to go a long way and stop
away from home a long time in order to get any, and after being away
there four or five days they frequently return without killing one seal,
they have become so scarce. (Thomas Skowl.)

There are no seal left now; they are most all killed off. The last ten

238 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

years the seal have been decreasing very fast — ever since the white men
with schooners began to hunt them. (George Skultka.)

Seal have been growing scarce along the coast the last fonr years.
Think there are too many schooners engaged in sealing in the North
Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. (M. Thlkahdaynahkee.)

Have noticed a large decrease the last four years. I think that
pelagic sealing in Bering Sea is the cause of the seal becoming scarce
along the coast. (Charlie Tlaksatan.)

Have heard all the Indians of different tribes say that seal are becom-
ing very scarce in the last three or fonr years. They also say that unless
the schooners are stopped from sealing in Bering Sea and the Korth
Pacific Ocean the seal will all be gone, and none will be left for the
Indians or anyone else. The seal have become so scarce of late years
that I don't know much about them. (Twongkwak.)

During the last five or six years seals have decreased in numbers
very rapidly. A great many of the white men are poor hunters and
lose a great many of the seals that they shoot. They shoot, and shoot,
and shoot, and don't get any seals, and that makes them wild, so that
an Indian can't get near them with a spear. (John Tysum.)

Have noticed the seal have been decreasing along the coast the last
fonr years. Think the cause of the decrease is that there are too many
schooners engaged in pelagic sealing in Bering Sea. (James Unatajim.)

Last year was a very bad season. The Indians think scarcity of seals
is due to the method of hunting them adopted by the whites, by which
the seals are scared away. (Francis Verbeke.)

Have noticed the seal are decreasing very fast, particularly the last
four years, caused by the indiscriminate killing of seal in the waters of
the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. (Charlie Wank.)

So many schooners and white men are hunting them with guns all
along the coast that they are getting all killed off. (Watkins.)

Formerly the Indians hunted them for food, but nowadays white men
and Indians hunt them for their fur, and they are rapidly diminishing
in number. (Weckenunesch.)

Seals were always plenty in the Straits of San Juan de Fuca and
along the coast until the white hunter came here and commenced shoot-
ing them some six or eight years ago; since that time they have
decreased very rapidly. (Charley White.)

Seals are becoming very scarce since the white men began hunting
them in schooners. (Billy Williams.)

Seals have become scarce the last three or four years, and the cause
of it is, I think, the indiscriminate killing of seals in the water. (Fred
Wilson.)

Seals are not near so plenty as they were seven or eight years ago.
I think the cause of this is that they have been hunted so much by
white hunters, who use shotguns and rifles. (Wispoo.)

Have noticed the seal are decreasing very fast, owing to so many
schooners hunting seals in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean and
Bering Sea. (Michael Wooskort.)

The seal, like the sea otter, are becoming very scarce. I think if the
schooners Avere prohibited from taking seal in Bering Sea and along the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 239

coast of Alaska the seal would become plentiful and tlie Indians could
kill tliem once more in canoes. (Yalikah.)

Since tbe white men with schooners began to hunt seal off Prince of
Wales Island the seal have become very scarce, and unless they are
stojiped from hunting seal they will soon l3e all gone. If the white men
are permitted to hunt seal much longer the fur seal will become as
scarce as the sea otter, which were quite plenty around Dixous
Entrance when I was a boy. The Indians are obliged to go a long way
for seal now and often return after two or three days' hunt without
taking any. (Hastings Yethnow.)

Seal have been decreasing very rapidly the last few years, and it is
hard for our people to get them. There are too many white men hunt-
ing them with schooners off Prince of Wales Island. (Paul Young.)

Since the white man began to hunt seal they are becoming very
scarce. (Walter Young.)

Within the last five or six years seals have decreased in number very
fast and are becoming very slay, and it is difficult to creep upon them
and hit them with the spear. Years ago the heads of seals along the
coast would stick up out of the water almost as thick as the stars in
the heavens, but since the white men with so many schooners have
come and began to shoot and kill them with the guns they have become
very scarce. (Hish Yulla.)

If so many white hunters keep hunting the seal with shotguns as
they do now it will be but a short time before they will be all gone.
(Thomas Zolnoks.)*

DECREASE OF SEALS — RESULTS OF INDISCRIMINATE SLAUGHTER.

It is impossible to distinguish the sex of a seal in the water, unless
it is an old bull. I am unable to istate anything as to the proportion
of females taken, but the seal hunter shoots every kind of seal he sees.
(C. A. Abbey.)

I can not tell the difference between the male and female seal while
in the water, except it be an old bull. (Peter Brown.)

I shoot all seal that come near the canoe and use no discrimination, as I
can not distinguish a young bull from a cow in the water. All hunters
shoot everything that comes near their boats. (Akatoo.)

No discrimination is or can be used; everything is game that comes
within range of the hunter's weapon. (A. B. Alexander.)

It is impossible to distinguish the male from the female at a distance
in the water. (H. Andricius.)

It is imi)ossible to distinguish sex when the seals are swimming, and
killing is indiscriminate. (Charles Avery.)

The sex of seal can not be told in the water. I shoot everything that
comes near the boat. (Adam Ayonkee.)

I used no discrimination, but killed everything that came near the
boat in shape of a seal. ISTever stopped to ask if it is female or not. A
few old bulls have been taken by me. (Johnny Baronovitch.)

Everything that comes near the boat in the shape of a seal is shot,
regardless of sex. (Maurice Bates.)

240 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water; I shoot everything
that comes near the boat. (Wilton C. Bennett.)

We kill everything that comes near the boat, and use no discrimina-
tion, but shoot them regardless of sex. (Edward Benson.)

We kill everything regardless of sex; the sex of the seal can not be
told in the waters. (Martin Benson.)

It is almost impossible to distinguish the female seals from the male
in the water unless it is an old bull. (Bernhardt Bleidner.)

It is not possible to make any distinction between males (other than
large bulls) and females of the fur-seal species at sea and there is none
attempted. Full-powered bulls are, however, readily recognized at sea
by their much larger size and darker fur; they are seldom taken, their
pelts being comparatively valueless. The slaughter is therefore indis-
criminate, the object being to secure all the skins possible. (J. A.
Bradley.)

We used to shoot at anything we ran across, and got about a third
of what we killed or wounded. I do not know how many miles off the
seal islands we were when we caught them, as I did not know the dis-
tances. (Thomas Bradley.)

It is not easy to tell a bull from a cow or either from a year-old pup
when they are in the water, and the hunters must shoot at all the seals
they see. If they get them they are fortunate, for at the best many
are lost. Some hunters rarely miss a seal they fire at, but many are
wounded, and a seal with a charge of bullets and buobshot in him must
be in very vigorous health to recover. Some hunters never miss a seal
during the season, but if others get one out of four they wound they
are doing well. (William Brennan.)

It is practically impossible to distinguish the age or sex of seals in
the water while approaching them while at a reasonable gunshot dis-
tance from them, excepting in the case of old bulls. (Henry Brown.)

Use no discrimination, but kill all seal that come near the boat.
The best way to shoot seal to secure them is to shoot them in the back
of the head when they are asleep with their noses in the water. (Peter
Brown.)

I can not distinguish male seals from female at a distance in the
water, unless it be an old bull with a long wig. (Landis Callapa.)

I can not distinguish male seals from female in the water except in
the case of an old bull, which is told by its size. Use no discrimination,
but kill everything in the shape of a seal that comes near the boat.
(Charles Campbell.)

There is no way of distinguishing the sex of fur seals (except large
bulls) in the water at sea, nor do hunters ever make any effort to
do so, but, on the tontrary, kill all seals they can indiscriminately.
(Vassili Chichinoff.)

Sex of the seal can not be told in the water unless it be an old bull.
All seal are shot that come near the boat, regardless of sex. (Simeon
Chin-koo-tin.)

It is impossible to distinguish the sex of the fur seal in the water at
sea, and no effort was made to do so. We killed all fur seals indis-
criminately. (Julius Christiansen.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 241

The sex of the seal can not be distinguished in the water. 1 shoot
everything that comes near euough. (Peter Church.)

I am unable to tell a male seal from a female while in the water,
unless it be an old bull with a long wig. (James Claplauhoo.)

The sex can not be told in the water, and all are shot that come near
the boat, l^o discrimination is usedj hunters kill everything they see.
(John C. Clement.)

In ijelagic sealing no distinction is made by hunters as to the sex of
the seals, the killing being done indiscriminately. It is not possible to
distinguish between the male and female seals at sea, even if a hunter
so desired, and this is the reason why pelagic sealing will soon result
in the total extermination of the species. (M. Cohen.)

The hunters will kill any seals that come along, it being impossible to
tell the sex in the water. (Peter Collins.)

All seal are killed that come near the canoe, whether it is male or
female; I make no difference. In former years there were lots of seal,
but now there are very few. Too many schooners hunting them all the
time in the water, killing the mother seals as well as others. (Charlie
Dahtlin.)

We tried to shoot them while asleep, but shot all that came in our
way. (Alfred Dardean.)

Use no discrimination in killing seal, but shoot everything that
comes near the boat in the shape of a seal. Hunters shoot seal in the
most exposed part of the body. (George Dishow.)

I can not tell the sex of the seal in the water. (Peter Duffy.)

I never examine them to know whether they are male or female seal.
I can not tell the difference in the water, and shoot everything without
knowing whether they are male or female. (Echon.)

While there is some difference in the appearance of the female and
old male seals, I do not think it would be possible for the hunters to
tell that difference in the sea at any great distance. (M. C. Erskine.)

Everything in shape of seal that comes near the boat is killed.
(Chief Frank.)

I can not tell the sex of a seal in the water; use no discrimination,
but kill everything that comes near the boat. (Luke Frank.)

There is no way by which hunters can distinguish sex while the seals
are in the water, nor do we aim to do so; the killing is always done in
an indiscriminate way. (Thomas Frazer.)

I could not tell whether a seal was a male or female while it was in
the water, unless it was an old bull. (William Frazer.)

There is no way that I know of to distinguish the sex of a seal when
it is in the water. No attempt is made to discriminate the sex so as to
kill only males. (F. F. Feeny.)

Can not distinguish the sex of seal in the water, but spear every-
thing that comes near the boat, regardless of sex. (Chad. George.)

I have never examined the seal as to sex. I shoot everything that
comes near the boat, and use no discrimination whatever. (Charles
Gibson.)

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 16

242 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

I kill every tbiiig that comes near the boat, and use no discrimination,
as the sex can not be told in the water, except it be an old bull, which
is told by its size. (Gonastut.)

Can not distinguish sex of seal in the water. Hunters use no dis-
crimination, and kill everything that comes near the boat. (James
Goudowen.)

We have no way of distinguishing fur seals in the water at sea as to
whether males or females, aud do not try to do so, but kill all we can
indiscriminately. (Nicoli Gregoroff.)

Every seal is shot that comes near the boat, regardless of sex; hunt-
ers use no discrimination. (James Griffin.)

Among all other fur seals at sea no distinction is possible, and none is
attempted. The killing is indiscriminate, the object being to secure
all the pelts possible. Bulls are, however, readily recognized at sea by
their larger size and darker fur. (A. J. Gould.)

I always shoot everything that comes near the boat; cannot tell the
sex in the water. (Henry Haldane.)

I use no discrimination in sealing, but shoot everything that comes
near the boat, regardless of sex. (Martin Hannon.)

I can't tell a male from a female while in the water at a distance.
(James Harrison.)

My experience has been that the vessels employed in hunting seals
shoot, indiscriminately, pups, male and female seals, regardless of age
or sex; and even should sealers wish to discriminate in the killing it
would not be possible for them to do so. My study of them in a long
experience has not enabled me to positively distinguish the sex of a
seal while in the water. It is the custom to pay seal hunters per skins
taken ; hence it is the object of the hunters to secure as many as pos-
sible, without reference to sex, age, or condition. While hunting they
use small rowboats, with two or three men in each boat armed with
shotgun and rifle, chiefly the former, and it would be simply impossi-
ble for the master or owners, even should they desire it, to supervise
ten or a dozen hunters as to the killing of any particular sex or kind.
(M. A. Healy.)

It is difficult to tell the sex of a seal which you shoot at in the water;
but you can tell an old seal from a young seal. (William Hermann.)

It is impossible to distinguish positively between females and males
(other than large bulls) in the water at sea, and no effort is made to do
so. Full-powered bulls are readily recognized by their great bulk and
darker fur. The killing of the fur seals is therefore absolutely indis-
criminate, as the object is to secure all the skins possible, irrespective
of sex, age, or condition. (Norman Hodgson.)

Hunters use no discrimination in shooting seal, but kill everything
that comes near the boat. They could not discriminate if they wanted
to, as the sex can not be told in the water. (O. Holm.)

Everything in the shape of a seal that comes near the boat is killed.
(Jack Johnson.)

I am unable to distinguish a male seal from a female seal at a distance
in the water. (Selwish Johnson.)

I shoot everything in the shape of a seal that comes near the boat,
and use no discrimination. (Johnnie Johntin.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 243

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water unless in the case of
an old bull, which is told by its size. We use no discrimination in
shooting seal. Everything is killed that comes near the boat, regard-
less of sex. (Philip Kashevaroff.)

We can not tell the difference between a male and a female in the
water, but kill everything that comes near the boat. (King Kashwa.)

All killing of seals in the water must of necessity be indiscriminate
slaughter, as it is impossible to tell the sex or the exact age of a seal
until it has been taken into the boat, whereas on laud careful discrimi-
nation can be made. (Francis R. King-Hall.)

Hunters use no discrimination in hunting seal, but shoot everything
that comes near the boat. (Kinkooga.)

Hunters always kill all seal that come near the boat, regardless of
sex. (C. Klananeck.)

I kill everything that comes near the canoe, regardless of sex.
(Robert Kooko.)

I always kill every seal that comes near the boat; hunters use no
discrimination. (John Kowineet.)

Have never killed but few old bulls in my life. The only seal that
can be distinguished in the water is the old bull, which can be told by
its size. Everything in shape of seal that comes near the boat is
killed if possible, regardless of sex. (George Lacheek.)

We can not distinguish between the sexes of fur seals in the water at
sea, nor do we try to. On the contrary, everything in sight is taken if
possible, except large bulls, whose skins are worthless. (E. L. Lawson.)

It is impossible to distinguish between males and females of the fur-
seal species in the water at sea, excepting large bulls, and no effort is
made to do so. The object is to get all the marketable skins possible,
and the killing is consequently indiscriminate. The pelts of large bulls,
whose fur is coarse and of little value, and of yearlings of both sexes,
whose skins are too small, not being strictly marketable skins, they
were not taken. (James E. Lennan.)

Of late years most of the catches of Northwest skins are sold at a
certain price per skin without particular examination. The dealers,
knowing the location from which the skins are obtained, make an
average price, and owners and hunters are, therefore, less particular
than they were in former years as to the class of animals they capture.
They kill everything they see without regard to age or sex, their only
object being to swell the total number of the catch to the highest pos-
sible figure. (Isaac Liebes.)

But of course you could not tell when you shot a seal lying asleep
whether it was a male or female. We shoot at all the seals when we
get a chance, but it is only the ones that we find asleep that we catch.
(Caleb Lindahl.)

It is impossible to distinguish the sex of fur seals at sea (excepting
large bulls) and no effort is made to do so, the object being to secure
all the skins possible; hence the killing is indiscriminate. (E. W.
Littlejohn.)

It is impossible to tell the sex of a seal in the water. (William H.
Long.)

244 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

EverytLing was killed that came near the boat; we did not use any
discrimination. (George McAlpine.)

The sex can not be distinguished in the water unless it be the ca^
of an old bull, which is distinguished by its size. Everything is killed
in the shape of a seal that comes near the boat. (J. D. McDonald.)

When we find weather we are out in the boats killing all the seals we
can get. We can not hunt in rough weather. (William Mclsaac.)

Sex of seal can not be told in the water. We use no discrimination
and kill all seal that come near the boat. Seal are not shot in any par-
ticular place; shoot them in the head if possible; if not, in the body.
(James McKeen.)

It makes no difference if a seal is a male or female; we shoot every-
thiug that comes near enough. (Edward Maitlaud.)

I know it to be the custom of seal hunters to shoot seals at sea when
they are at rest uijon the surface of the water, and that those generally
obtained are females, and constitute but a very small portion of those
killed and lost. (John Malowansky.)

Everything that comes near the boat in shape of a seal is shot. I
can not tell the sex of a seal till after it is dead. (Frederick Mason.)

We hunted with shotguns and shot them mostly when they were
asleep on the water, or any chance we could get. I was a boat puller,
and the hunters shot at everything in sight. (Henry Mason.)

We generally tried to kill them while asleep in the water, but fired at
everything that came around us. (Thorwal Mathasan.)

I use no discrimination in shooting seals ; shoot everything that comes
near the boat, and all other hunters do the same. (G. E. Miner.)

Q. If awake, do you shoot them while breaching? — A. Yes, sir; we
shoot at them anywhere, either while they are breaching or heads up,
or any way. (Frank Moreau.)

We shot at everything in sight. We killed more females than males,
and we lost a good many that we killed. (Eddie Moreiiead.)

Shoot everything that comes near the boat in shape of a seal, and use
no discrimination. (Matthew Morris.)

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water. Hunters use no
discrimination, but kill everything they can. (Nash tan.)

We shoot everything that comes near the canoe in shape of a seal,
regardless of sex. The sex can not be told in the water unless it be an
old bull. (Dan Nathlan.)

Everything is killed that comes near the canoe in shape of a seal.
We can not tell a male from a female in the water. (Joseph Neishkaith.)

I can not tell the age or sex of a seal in the water. (Niles Nelson.)

I can not tell the difference between a male and female seal in the
water, and I shoot every seal that comes near the canoe. (Nikla-ah.)

Sex can not be distinguished while the seals are in the water, nor do
the hunters try to do so, for they kill everything they can shoot. (Nel-
son T. Oliver.)

I am unable to tell the sex of the seal while it is in the water, unless
it be an old bull with a long wig. (Osly.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 245

It is impossible to distinguish the male seal from the female when
they are in the water at a reasonable gunshot distance. (Charles
Peterson.)

Yearlings are rarely taken in North Pacific. The age or sex of a seal
in the water can not be distinguished, except that when close the appar-
ent size is an indication of age. (W. Roberts.)

I use a shotgun to hunt for seal. Have lost very few seal, as I always
shoot them near the boat. Everything in shape of a seal that comes
near the boat is killed. I use no discrimination. (Rondtus.)

Everything in the shape of a seal that comes near the boat is shot.
Hunters use no discrimination, but kill everything that puts its head
above the water. (Abel Ryan.)

It is impossible to distinguish a male from a female seal in the water,
except in the case of a very old bull, when his size distinguishes him.
Therefore open-sea sealing is entirely indiscriminate as to sex or age.
(L. G. Shepard.)

All seal are killed that come near the boat. I never stop to consider
whether it is a male or female, but kill it off if I can. (Jack Shucky.)

Hunters use no discrimination, but shoot everything that comes near
them. Their sex can not be told unless in the case of an old bull, which
is distinguishable by its size. (Jack Sitka.)

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water. I kill everything
that comes near my canoe in shape of a seal, and all other hunters do
the same. (Thomas Skowl.)

Always shoot everything that comes near the boat in shape of a seal,
regardless of sex. (George Skultka.)

Hunters use no discrimination, but shoot everything that come near
the boat. (Fred Smith.)

It is impossible to distinguish between male and female seals at sea,
even if the hunters so desired, except in the case of full-powered bulls,
when they are readily recognized by their greatly superior size. Large
bulls are rarely taken. No distinction is thought of by pelagic sealers,
and the killing is done indiscriminately, the object being to secure as
many skins as possible. (John W. Smith.)

I can not tell the sex of the seal in the water, unless he is an old
bull. A hunter will blaze away at anything he sees in the water. (E.
W. Soron.)

Hunters use no discrimination, but shoot everything in the shape of
a seal that comes near the boat. (Joshua Stickland.)

All seals are killed that come near the boat, regardless of their sex.
I never look to see whether I have killed a male or female seal until I
have the seal dead in the boat. (M. Thlkahdaynahkee.)

Hunters use no discrimination in killing seal, but kill everything that
comes near the boat, regardless of sex. (W. Thomas.)

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water when hunting. We
use no discrimination, but kill everything in the shape of a seal that
comes near the boat. (Charlie Tlaksatan.)

Hunters use no discrimination in taking seal, but kill everything that
pokes its head out of the water near the boat. (John C. Tolman.)

246 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water. Hunters use no
discrimination and everything in the shape of a seal that comes near
the boat is killed. (Peter Trearsheit.)

Sex of seal can not be distinguished in the water, except in the case
of an old bull, which can be told by its size. Ifo discrimination is used
in taking sealj everything that comes near the boat is shot at. (James
Unatajim.)

I always shoot everything that comes near the boat, regardless of
sex. We use no discrimination. (George Usher.)

Sex of seal can not be distinguished in the water. No discrimination
is used ill seal hunting; all are killed that come near. (Rudolph
Walton.)

The sex of seal of same age can not be distinguished in the water.
The only seal that can be distinguished is an old bull. We use no dis-
crimination in seal hunting; everything is killed that comes near the
boat. Pelagic hunters have become so plentiful and seals have become
so wild that we are obliged to take long shots at them. (Charlie Wank.)

Our purpose and practice was to take all the seals we could get,
regardless of their age or sex, without any discrimination whatever.
(Michael White.)

Everything in the shape of seal that comes near the boat is shot. I
can't tell the difference between a young cow and a male seal. (Fred
Wilson.)

The seals are getting wild and hard to catch. There are a great
many green hands in the business. We shot at everytliing that came
along. We were getting 50 cents for every skin obtained. Our boats
went 30 and 40 miles from the schooner. Sometimes they would leave
in the morning at 5 and not return until the next day at 4 or 5 in the
evening. (John Woodruff.)

Tlie sex of seal can not be told in the water. No discrimination is
used in seal hunting. All seal are killed that come near the boat. The
only seal that can be distinguished in the water is an old bull. (Michael
Wooskort.)

I can not distinguish the sex of a seal in the water, but kill every seal
that comes near the canoe, if possible. (Billy Yeltachy.)

I can not tell the sex of a seal in the water, and use no discrimi-
nation, but kill everything that comes near my canoe in the shape of a
seal. (Hastings Yethnow.)

We use no discrimination in killing seal, but shoot everything that
comes near the boat. What seals we have seen this year are very wild
and hard to get at. The cause of their being wild is the indiscriminate
shooting of them in the water. (Alf. Yohausen.)

I use no discrimination, and kill everything that comes near the boat
in the shape of a seal. (Paul Young.)

1 can not tell the difference between a male and a female in the water ;
use no discrimination, but kill everything that comes near the boat.
(Walker Young.)

We fired at all the seals we could, regardless of their sex. We got
one out of every six or seven we shot at or killed. (George Zam-
mett.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 247

DESTRUCTION OF PREGNANT FEMALES.

We caught about 185 seals, mostly females in young, and we killed
them while they were asleep on the water. (Charles Adair.)

Most of the seals killed by me have been females with pup. (Akatoo.)

We sealed along the coast and captured 154. Most all of them were
pregnant females. (Charles Avery.)

Most all seals that I have killed were pregnant cows. Have taken a
few male seals from 1 to 4 years old, I think. Have never killed an old
bull. (Adam Ayonkee.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup? —
A. About 99 per cent of the cows taken were with x>up. There may be
one in a hundred that is either without pup or has had one. (George
Ball.)

Most all the seals taken are females with pup. (Johnnie Baronovitch.)

Seventy-five per cent of the seal taken on the coast are cows with
pup. (Martin Benson.)

We left Port Townsend in May and sealed south to Cape Flattery,
and then went north along the coast until we came to Uniinak Pass,
and captured from 300 to 400 seals. Most all were females and had
pups in them. I think fully two-thirds of all we caught were females,
and a few were bulls. * * * We secured 500 skins along the coast,
most all of which were pregnant females. (Bernhardt Bleidner.)

I have never killed any full-grown cows on the coast that did not
have pups in them, and I have hunted all the way from the Columbia
Eiver to Barclay Sound. (Bowa-chup.)

We left Victoria about May, going north, and sealed all the way to
Bering Sea. We had about 60 before entering Bering Sea, nearly all
of which were females with young pups in them. (Thomas Bradley.)

Our last catch of seals on the coast were almost exclusively gravid
females. (Henry Brown.)

We had 250 seals before entering the sea, the largest percentage of
which were females, most of them having young pups in them. I saw
some of the young pups taken out of them. (Thomas Brown.)

On my last sealing cruise this spring we caught five seals; two of
them were females and had pups in them; three of them were young
and smaller seals and had black whiskers, i^one but full-grown cows
have white whiskers, but young cows and young bulls have black
whiskers. About half of all the seals captured along the coast have
white whiskers and are cows with pups in them. Most all full grown
cows that are caught have pups in them. Once, late in the season, I
caught a full-grown barren cow with white whiskers. (Landis Callapa.)

Seventy-five per cent of seals shot in the North Pacific Ocean are
females heavy with young. (John C. Oantwell.)

Most of the seals we killed going up the coast were females heavy
with pup. I think nine out of every ten were females. (Charles
Challall.)

Not quite half of all seals caught along the coast are cows with pups
in them. About half are young seals, both male and female, and the

248 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

rest (a small number) are medium-sized males. We never get any old
bulls worth speaking of, and we do not catch as many gray pups now
as formerly. Have not caught any gray pups this year. Do not know
what has become of them. Have never caught any full-grown cows
without pups in them, and have never caught any cows in milk along
the coast. (Charlie.)

Of those secured, the larger part by far were females, and the majority
of these were pregnant cows. (Julius Christiansen.)

Most of the seals taken by me have been females with young. A
few male seals have been taken by me, their ages ranging from 1 to 5
years old. Killed three large bulls during my life. (Peter Church.)

A great many years ago we used to catch about one-half cows and
OTie-half young seals. I never caught any seals along the coast that
had given birth to their young and that had milk in their breasts. I
never captured any barren cows. * * * We secured ten seals in all,
five of which had pups in them. 'I know this because I saw the pups
when we cut the carcasses open. * * * The other five seals were
smaller and probably male and female. (Circus Jim.)

About half the seals killed by me have been cows with pup. I never
shot but two old bulls in my life. Have shot a few yearling seals. The
young males I have killed were between 2 and 3 years old, I think.
(William Clark.)

The seals we catch along the coast are nearly all pregnant females.
It is seldom we capture an old bull, and what males we get are usually
young ones. I have frequently seen cow seals cut open and the unborn
pups cut out of them and they would live for several days. This is a
frequent occurrence. (Christ Clausen.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pupl — A.
About 70 per cent. (Peter Collins.)

The majority of seals taken are cows with pup; once in a while we
take an old bull. A few yearlings are taken also. (Charlie Dahtlin.)

From 75 to 80 per cent of all the seals takeu were mothers in young,
and when cut ©pen on deck we found the young within them. (James
Dalgarduo.)

We had between 100 and 300 seals before entering the sea. Most all
of them were females with pups in them. (John Dalton.)

Of the seals that were caught off the coast fully 90 out of every 100 had
young pups in them. The boats would bring the seals killed on board
the vessel and we would take the young pups out and skin them. If
the pup is a good, nice one we would skin it and keep it for ourselves.
I had eight such skins myself. Four out of five, if caught in May or
June, would be alive when we cut them out of the mothers. One of
them we kept for pretty nearly three weeks alive on deck by feeding it
on condensed milk. One of the men finally killed it because it cried so
pitifully. (Alfred Dardean.)

In all my experience in sealing on this coast I have killed but one
cow seal that had milk in her breast, and that had given birth to her
pup. I have killed a very few barren cows along the coast. Nearly all
of the full-grown cows along the coast have pups in them. (Frank

Davis.)

We sailed from San Francisco to Queen Charlotte Island, and caught

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 249

between 500 and 600 seals, nearly all females heavy with young. I
have seen a young live pup taken out of its mother and kept alive for
three or four days. We sealed from 10 to 120 miles off the coast.
(Joseph Deunis.)

A large proportion of all seals taken are females with pup. A very
few yearlings are taken. Never examine them as to sex. But very
few old bulls are taken, but Ave being taken out of a total of 900 seals
by my schooner. (George Dishow.)

We left Victoria the latter end of January, and went South to Cape
lihmco, sealing around there two or three months, when we started
north to Bering Sea, sealing all the way up. We had between 200 and
300 seals before entering the sea, a great many of them being females
with pups in them. (Richard Dolan.)

The Indians left their homes in March and remained away until May.
Their hunting lodges were on some small islands outside of Dundas
Island. From what they tell me the majority of seals taken by them
liave been females with young. (William Duncan.)

We went north to Bering Sea, sealing all the way up, and got 110
seals before entering the sea. Most of them were cows, nearly all of
which had pups in them. We took some of the pups alive out of the
bodies of the females. (George Fairchild.)

Most all of the females taken are with young, or mothers. (F. F.
Feeny.)

There were cow seals with pup among the seals that I have taken,
but don't know how many. I have never taken an old bull in my life.
(Chief Frank.)

I think the seals taken by me are about half females with pup, and
the rest are 1 and 2 year old males and yearlings; never examined the
yearlings as to sex. (Luke Frank.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup ? —
A. All that are killed in the Pacific are with pup, and those that are
killed in Bering Sea have been delivered of pups on the islands and are
with milk. (Luther T. Franklin.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup? —
A. About 60 per cent were with pup. (Edward W. Funcke.)

Most all the seals taken by me were females with pup. Most of the
seals killed in Bering Sea have been cows with milk. Have never
taken a bull seal ofl" the coast of Washington, but have taken a few
farther north. A few young males are taken off the coast of Washing-
ton. (Chad George.)

I did not pay much attention to the sex of seals we killed in the
North Pacific, but know that a great number of them were cows that
had pups in them, and we killed most of them while they were asleep
on the water. (Thomas Gibson.)

Most of the seals killed are cows with pup. A few males are killed,
averaging from 1 to 4 years old. Have killed but one old bull in my
life. A few yearlings are taken, the majority of which are females.
(James Goudowen.)

We captured 63 seals, all of which were females, and all were preg-
nant. With regard to pregnancy, I may note that the seals taken off
the coast of Vancouver Island were not so far advanced as those taken

250 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

farther north. * * * I am acquainted with the hunters and masters
who sail from this port, and board all incoming and outgoing vessels of
that class. These men all acknowledge that nearly all the seals taken
off the Pacific Coast are females, and that they are nearly all with
young. (E. M. Greenleaf.)

We began sealing off the northern coast of California and followed
the sealing herd northward, capturing about 700 seals in the North
Pacific Ocean, two-thirds of which were females with pup; the balance
were young seals, both male and female. We captured between 900
and 1,000 on the coast, most all of which were females with pups.
(Arthur GriflSn.)

The catch was mostly females. Those we got in the North Pacific
were females in pup, and those taken in Bering Sea were cows giving
milk. (Joseph Grymes.)

Of the skins taken in this region fully nine-tenths are pregnant and
milking females, but I never saw a young pup in the water. Large
bulls were never taken, their skins being practically valueless. (A. J.
Guild.)

Q. What percentage of the cows are taken with pups? — A. All the
large ones have — all the grown ones have. Yery seldom you find a
barren one. (Charles H. Hagman.)

A large majority of seals taken are females with young. Only two
old bulls were taken by me last year out of the 100 seals taken. But
very few yearlings are taken. Paid no attention to sex. A few male
seals are taken between 2 and 4 years old, I think. (Martin Hannon.)

Q. What percentage of the cows taken are with pups ? — A. You can
safely say about four-fifths of them. You get about 800 out of 1,000
seals. (H. Harmsen.)

I am told the white hunter kills mostly cow seals with pup. (Sam
Hayikahtla.)

I have often conversed with masters, seamen, and hunters engaged
in hunting the fur seals, and their statements to me have always been
that the capture of a male seal was a rarity; that nearly all of their
catch were cow seals heavy with young, or those who had given birth
to their young on the islands and gone out to the fishing bank to feed,
and that they lose a large proportion of those killed and wounded.
(J. M. Hays.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup? —
A. At least 60 per cent were with pup. (William Henson.)

Of the seals secured in a season fully 70 per cent are females, and of
these more than 60 per cent are pregnant and milking cows. The males
taken are about equally divided in numbers between yearlings and
bachelors from the ages of 2 to 5 years ; bulls are seldom shot. (Nor-
man Hodgson.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup ? —
A. About the same amount (about 95 per cent) were with pup. (And. J.
Hoffman.)

Most all seals taken are females with young. * * * a few male
seal are taken. 1 would say they are generally 3 or 4 years old, A few
yearlings are killed, mostly females. About five bull seal are killed out
of every hundred taken. (E. Hofstad.)

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 251

About one-lialf of those caught along the coast were full-ftTOwn cows
with pups in them; a few were medium-sized males, and the rest were
younger seals of both sexes. I have never caught a full-grown cow in
the straits or along the coast that did not have a pup in her. (Alfred
Irving.)

Q. What percentage of the cows taken are with pup'? — A. In the
early part of the season, up to June, all the full-grown cows are with
pup!

Q. Did you ever kill any cows whose young were born, and were
giving milk? — A. That I don't remejnber taking notice of. I can not
answer that question. (Gustave Isaacson.)

The female seals go through the passes from the Pacific Ocean into
Bering Sea between June 25 and July 15. Females killed previous to
this time I found with pups, but none with pups after that latter date.
(Victor Jacobson.)

We began to seal when about 20 miles off Cape Flattery. We worked
towa»d the northwest, and captured between 60 and 100 seals on the
coast, about two-thirds of which were females with pup; the balance
were yearlings consisting of male and female; after which we ran into
Barclay Sound for supplies, from which place we worked to the north-
ward toward Bering Sea. We captured about 80 seals while en route
to the sea; about two-thirds of these were females with pup, the balance
being yearlings about one-half male and one-half female. (James
Jamieson.)

We began sealing off Barclay Sound, and caught three skins only,
all of which were females with pup. * * * in hunting along the
coast, I think about 80 per cent of those we caught were females, and
most of them were carrying their young. We seldom caught any
balls, but caught a few of the younger males. I have seen the unborn
young cut out of the mother seal and live for a week without food. We
used to skin some, but threw most of them overboard. (James
Jamieson.)

A majority of the seal taken on the coast are cows with pup. A few
young males are taken, the ages ranging from 1 to 5 years. Once in
awhile an old bull is taken in the North Pacific Ocean. (J. Johnson.)

Most of the seals taken are females with pup. Once in awhile an
old bull is killed. (Jack Johnson.)

A large proportion of seals killed by me were cows with pup. Have
killed a very few old bulls and some yearlings. (Johnnie Johntin.)

Most of the seal I have taken have been pregnant cows. But a very
few young male seal are taken by me along the coast. (P. Kahiktday.)

The majority of seal are cows with pup. A few males are taken,
about 4 or 5 years old. (Philip Kashevaroff.)

About half of the seals killed are females with pup. Have killed
some yearling seals, but never killed any old buU. The young males I
killed were between 2 and 3 years old. (Jim Kasooh.)

We caught somewhere about 500 seals before entering the sea, of all
kinds. There were a good many females among them; there was a
good many more of them than males, but the exact number I do not
know. The old females had young pups in them. I saw them taken
out and a good many of them skinned. (James Kean.)

252 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

We sailed from Yictoria, British Columbia, and bore due north to
Bering Sea. When we arrived there we had some 75 to 80 seals, the
greater part of which were females, some of which had pups in them.
(James Kennedy.)

Most of the seals taken by me were females with pup; have taken a
few male seals from 1 to 4 years old. A very few yearlings have been
killed by me, mostly females. (Mike Kethusduck.)

Those taken in Bering Sea were nearly all mother seals, in milk, that
had left their young and were in search of food. (James Kiernan.)

Most all seals killed by me have been cows. * * * Have not
killed a bull seal for three years. I have taken a few yearlings, mostly
females. (John Kowineet.)

All the seals which I have seen killed were females, and the majority
of these were pregnant cows. (Olaf Kvam.)

Most all seals that I have taken were cows with pup. A few male
seals have been taken by me from 1 to 2 years old. (George Lacheek.)

A good many have pups in them, and when the boats come aboard
loaded with seals, after they got through skinning them they would
have a big pile of pups on deck. (James Laflin.)

We had a good catch, having taken 1,400 skins, more than 1,000 of
which we secured on the coast. Of the latter more than 75 per cent
were female pelts, and of these about 60 per cent were taken from
pregnant cows. (James E. Lennan.)

I have often cut a seal open and found a live young one inside.
(Caleb Lindahl.)

Of all the seals captured by me about one-half of them, I think, were
cows with pups in them, and it is very seldom that I have ever caught
a full-grown cow that was barren or did not have a pup in her; nor
have I, in my long experience, caught a cow that was in milk, or that
had recently given birth to her young. I seldom ever kill an old bull,
for there are but very few of them that mingle with the herd along the
coast. (James Lighthouse.)

In the year 1885 600 fur seals were caught during the month of March
off the Farallon Islands (California). In subsequent years we have had
to go farther north each year in order to secure a good spring catch.
My experience has been that fully 90 per cent of all seals taken were
females, and of these two-thirds were mothers in milk. (E. W. Little-
john.)

I know that a large proportion of the seals taken were mothers in
pup or mothers giving milk, but I paid no particular attention to the
percentage. (William H. Long.)

On my last trip this year, when hunting seals off the cape, I caught
10 seals, 5 of which had pups in them; the rest of them were from 1 to
2 years old, part male and part female. I think that fully one-half of
the seals caught along the coast are full-grown females with pups in
them. We sometimes catch a few medium-sized males, the rest being
younger ones, both male and female. (Thomas Lowe.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup? —
A. About 70 per cent, I should say. (Charles Lutjens.)

Most of the seals taken were females with pup. A few male seals were

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 253

killed, ages ranging from 1 to 5 years. One old bull was taken. (George
Mc Alpine.)

Most of the seals taken by me have been females with pup. The female
seals are easier killed than the male, and we aim to get them. A few
yearlings have been killed by me, mostly females. (J. D. McDonald.)

Several of the females that we caught in the ocean were in pup, but
the pup taken out of the belly was of no use for anything, and we would
throw it overboard. (William Mclsaac.)

We had 300 or 400 seals altogether before entering Bering Sea.
They were most all females, which had young pups in them. (William
McLaughlin.)

Q. What percentage of the cows taken are with pup ? — A. The females
are mostly all with pup — that is, up until the 1st of July. (Daniel
McLean.)

We came down each year to the coast of Oregon, then went along up
the coast to Bering Sea. I do not recollect the exact number of seals
we caught in 1888, 1889, 1890, but last year we caught about 150 along
the coast. I did not pay much attention to the sex of the seals, but I
seen lots of little pups taken out of them. (Thomas Madden.)

We sailed up the coast and caught a few seals until we got to Bering
Sea. We caught 1,100 seals, nearly all of which were caught in Ber-
ing Sea. We caught them around St. George Island. I think out of
the 1,100 we caught there were 600 females. Out of that 000 there
were over 400 that had pups inside of them, and we threw them all
overboard. (James Maloy.)

About half of the seals killed by me, I think, were cows with puj).
Have never killed an old bull, but have killed a few yearlings in my
life. Never examined the latter as to sex. (Charles Martin.)

The biggest part of my year's catch off the coast were females with
pups in them. (Patrick Maroney.)

In 1890 I went sealing in the schooner Argonaut. She sailed from
Victoria about the 8th of April, and sealed along the coast up to the
pass in Bering Sea. We caught about 250 seals that year. Most ol
the seals we caught in the North Pacific were females. A good many
of them also had pups inside. (Henry Mason.)

I noticed in the seals that we caught along the coast that a great
many of them were females and had pups. I think most of them were
females. I know that in my boat the catch was most all females and
they had pups in them. They were usually shot when sleeping on the
water. (William Mason.)

We caught over 1,000 seals off the coast, almost all females, and a
great number of them had pups in them. * * * Entered Bering
Sea in July and was chased out by the cutters. Did not catch any
seals in the American waters in Bering Sea, but went over across on
the Russian side and sealed there. The whole catch for that year was
about 1,500 seals. Those that we killed on the Russian side were about
in the same proportion as to females as those killed on this side. (Tlior-
wal Mathasan.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup?—
A. About 75 per cent were with pup. (Frank Moreau.)

254 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Most all the seals killed by uie have been females with pup. (Amos
Mill.)

We began sealing off Cape Flattery; sailed and sealed to the north-
ward, and captured about 800 seals along the coast. There were not
over ten males in the whole lot. The females had pups in them, and
we cut them out of their mothers and threw them overboard into the
ocean. (John Morris.)

About half of the seals caught along the coast are cows with pups in
them. A few medium-sized males are also taken, and the rest are young
seals of both sexes. We scarcely ever see an old bull seal, nor can we
tell the sex of the seals in the water. I have never caught any full-
grown cows along the coast that did not have pups in them. (Moses.)

About half the seals taken by me are cows with pup. I have taken
a few old bulls in my life, but not many. Have taken quite a number
of yearlings. The male seals taken are between 2 and 3 years.

(Nashtau.)

About one-half of the seals I have taken were females with pup.
Have taken a very few yearlings. Once in a while I take an old bull,
but not often. The male seals that I have killed are 2 and 3 years old,
I think. (Dan Nathlan.)

Think about half of the seals taken by me have been cows with pup.
The rest are yearlings and young males 2 and 3 years old. Have never
seen an old bull in my life. (Joseph Neishkaith.)

Almost every female that has arrived at the age of maturity is preg-
nant. We follow them on from there into Bering Sea, and almost all
the females taken are pregnant. (Mies Nelson.)

We sailejj south as far as Blanco, sealing around there for two or
three months, when we headed north into Bering Sea, having caught
250 or 300 seals before entering the sea, of which GO per cent of them
were females, mostly all of them having pups in them. (John O'Brien.)

In the beginning of the season we killed mostly yearling seals, but as
the season advanced we got almost all mothers in young in the vicinity
of Cape Flattery or from the Columbia Eiver to Vancouver. (Nelson
T. Oliver.)

The catch along the coast for the last six or seven years, since the
rifle and shotgun have come into use, is principally females, and the
grown ones have pups in them. The catch bf young seals is much less
in proportion to the number caught than they were when Indians used
to take them by spearing. (William Parker.)

We began sealing off Cape Flattery and sealed right up toward Be-
ring Sea, capturing 16 seals along the coast, all of which were females
with pup. We captured 250 females with pup on the coast and then
returned to Victoria, after which we sailed again in a short time on the
same vessel with the same crew for the North Pacific Ocean and Be-
ring Sea, capturing about 250 female seals while en route to Bering Sea,
also a few male yearlings. (Charles Peterson.)

My experience in four years' sealing is that nearly all the seals taken
along the coast are pregnant females, and it is seldom that one of them
is caught that has not a young pup in her. (Edwin P. Porter.)

I have been out sealing this year and caught 16 seals; 5 of them were
full-grown cows that had pups in them. The rest were young seals

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 255

aboat 2 years old, both male and female, excepting one, and that was
a gray pup. (Wilson Porter.)

Most of the seals taken by me have been cows with pup. (Rondtus.)

The majority of seals taken by me have been females with pup. Once
in a great while I catch an old bull. A few yearlings have been taken
and the majority of males are 2 and 3 year olds. (Abel Ryan.)

While cruising along the coast our principal catch was female seals
Avith pup, the balance being principally yearlings, about half male and
female. (William Short.)

We had 315 skins when we arrived here. Mostly all of them were
females heavy with pup asleep on the water, and we killed them with
shotguns. (Peter Simes.)

Most of the seal taken by me were cows with pup. (Aaron Sim

son.)

Most of the seals taken are cows with young. (Jack Sitka.)

Most of the seals taken by me are females with pup. Never. killed
but one old bull in my life. Have killed but a few yearlings and never
looked to see if they were male or female. The young males killed by
me were between 1 and 3 years old. (Thomas Skowl.)

I think 3 females with pup out of every 10 killed. I kill lots of
yearlings, but never examined them as to sex. Never shoot any old
bulls, although I have seen a good many. (George Skultka.)

We sailed from here on the Flying Mist on the 17th day of April,
1871, and caught altogether on that voyage about 875 seals, of which a
large majority were either females with pups or with their breasts full
of milk. I saw it flowing on the deck when we were skinning them.
* * * Went to Okhotsk Sea and sealed there about two mouths.
We got there some 500 seals, of which more than one half were females,
and the most of them had pups in them. (James Sloan.)

I am informed by our London sales agent, and believe, that nearly
or quite nine-tenths of the Victoria catch is composed of females.
(Leon Sloss.)

A very large majority of the seal taken in the North Pacific are cows
with pup. (Fred Smith.)

We left San Francisco in February, and fished all the way up to
Kadiak Island. We caught about 475 seals and about 40 otters. To
the best of my judgment, the greatest portion of these were cows heavy
with young. We could see the milk running out of their teats when
they were skinned. I saw pups inside of the seals that we cut, and we
saved some of them and fed them." (E. W. Soron.)

We left here with the City of San Diego in February, 1888, and arrived
in Bering Sea in June, 1888. As soon as we got into the ocean we
commenced shooting seals and continued shooting all the way up to the
Aleutian Islands. The seals became more plentiful as we were going
north. We caught about 650 during that voyage. We killed a portion
in Bering Sea. We killed 1 large bull that I recollect, and the rest
were nearly all females with pup, or mothers giving milk. (Cyrus
Stephens.)

Most of the seals taken are females with pup. Out of 111 seals last
year I killed but 3 bulls. A very few yearlings have been taken by me.

256 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

A few male seal have been taken by me from 2 to 4 years old. (Joshua
Stickland.)

We commenced sealing as soon as we got outside of the cape, and
captured about 270 seals along up the coast. Most of the seals caught
were pregnant females, and when we would skin them the milk would
run out of them on the deck. We began sealing off the Columbia Eiver
and then sealed northward up the coast to Bering Sea, and captured
about 320 seals in the North Pacific Ocean, mostly all females, and nearly
all had young pups in them. (John A. Swain.)

Most of the seals taken by me were cows with pup. * • * A few
male seal have been taken from 1 to 4 years old. But very few old
bulls have ever been taken by me. Have killed a few yearlings every
year. (M. Thlkahdaynahkee.)

Most of the seals taken on this coast are cows with young. Quite
a large number of yearlings are taken, most of which are females.
(Charlie Tlaksatan.)

Most of the seal taken by me have been females with pup. A few
male seals have been taken by me, ages ranging from 1 to 4 years, I
should think. Some yearlings have been taken, a majority of which
were females also. Very few old bulls have been killed by me. (James
Unatajim.)

Most of the seals taken have been cows with pup. I have taken but
a very few old bulls. I have killed plenty of young males, and have
taken quite a number of yearlings, but never examined them as to sex.
(George Usher.)

The majority of seal taken are cows. A few yearlings are killed,
mostly females. (Rudolph Walton.)

In purchasing fur seals from hunters I have noticed that not less than
75 per cent of the catch taken previous to May 25 are female seals, and
from the development of the teat on the skin were evidently females
with pup. After that the catch is mostly young seals, and I paid no
attention to the sex. (M. L. Washburn.)

Most of the seals captured along the coast are cows with pups in
them. I have never captured any cows in milk or that had given
birth to their young that year on the coast, and I do not recollect of
ever having caught an old bull. (Watkins.)

Out of 50 seals taken so far this season 40 are females with pup and
4 are males. Only one yearling seal has been taken this season among
the males. I should think the male seals taken this year were between
2 and 3 years old. (P. S. Weittenhiller.)

While out hunting this year we caught 16 seals; one-half of them
were cows with pup, the remainder were yearlings and 2-yeap-olds of
both sexes. (Charley White.)

In my captures off the coast between here and Sitka 90 per cent of
my catch were females, but off the coast of Unimak Pass there was a
somewhat smaller percentage of females, a)id nearly all the females
were cows heavy with pup, and in some instances the time of delivery
was so near at hand that I have frequently taken the live pup from the
mother's womb. (Michael White.)

I think about one-half the seals killed by me have been females with
pup, and the balance were divided up between yearlings and 1 and 2

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 257

year old males. Never examined the yearlings as to sex; have never
killed au old bull in my life. (Billy Williams.)

Think that most of the seals I have taken were females with pup.
Have also taken some 2 and 3 year old males and some yearlings.
Never killed but one old bull in my life. (Fred Wilson.)

Most all the seals caught by me along the coast were cows that had
pups in them. I never killed a barren cow or one that was in milk.
(Wispoo.)

About half the seals I have killed were females with pup, and the
balance were yearling seals and 2 and 3 year old males. Never killed
an old bull in my life, nor have I ever seen one. (Billy Yeltachy.)

Some years ago there were more male seals taken than are taken
now, but now about one-half are females with pup. The rest are year-
ling seals and 1 and 2 year old males. 1 have never examined the
yearling seal to ascertain their sex. Have not killed any old bull seal
for a number of years, but used to kill them. (Yethnow.)

Most of the seals I have killed were females with pup. Once in a
while an old bull is taken. (Paul Young.)

I have been out on the Pacific Ocean this year seal hunting and
caught three seals. They were large cow seals, and had pups in them.
One and 2 vear old seals are about equally male and female. (Hish
YuUa.)

Almost half the seals I now catch are cow seals, and have little pups
in them. (Hish Yulla.)

About one-third of all the cows I caught along the coast were cows
with pups in them ; never caught any old bulls, and used to catch more
gray pups than I do now. Most all the rest of the seals I caught have
been 1 and 2 years old, and are about equally male and female. (Thos.
Zolnoks.)

Office Special Agent Treasury Department,

Washington, D. C, December 30, 1892.

Sir: I have the honor to hand you herewith a series of tables setting
forth the number of fur seals killed on the Pribilof Islands, for all
causes whatsoever, during the term of the lease of the Alaska Com-
mercial Company — that is, from 1870 to 1889, both inclusive.

These tables have been compiled by me with great care from the offi-
cial records of the Pribilof Islands, and are correct, careful compari-
sons having been made. They include every seal killed from any cause,
intentional or accidental, incident to the taking of seal skins on the
islands of St. Paul and St. George.

Joseph Murray,
First Assistant S;pecial Agent,

Hon. Charles Foster,

Secretary of the Treasury.

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 17

258

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tahles showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Pi'ihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1889, both inclusive.

Note. — There is a misapprehension in regard to the names of the several rookeries and hauling
grounds, and they are often confounded by people who are not thoroughly acquainted with them,
/oltoi and Garbotch are local subdivisions of the Reef Rookery and are treated as rookeries by some
of the Treasury agents, while others ignore them altogether. Zapadnie and Southwest Bay are one.
Polivina and Halfway I'oint are one; some men using the Russian while others use the English names.
English Bay and Middle Hill are separate and distinct rookeries, and yet they are often spoken of as
though they were one. Near is a local subdivision of North Rookery. Little East is a subdivision
of East Rookery. Sea Lion Rock, Southwest Point, and Rocky Point are neither rookeries nor haul-
ing grounds in the strict sense of the term ; the seals come and go at will, for it is only under the most
favorable conditions of wind and water they can be reached, and it is but seldom there are many of
them. By keeping these facts in mind it will be seen that seals were driven from all of the hauling
grounds on both islands from 1870 to date.

ST. PAUL ISLAND.

[No record of daily killings for 1870.]

Date.

1870.

July

1871.

May 16

21

June 1

2

6

8

10

U

15

16

20

22

23

24

24

29

28

1

3

6

7

8

18

21

22

22

24

26

28

28

31

Aug. 11

18

24

29

4

11

18

26

29

2

9

10

13

14

16

17

17

19

21

21

25

27

28

28

Sept.

Oct.

Rookery.

Not indicated in the records of
this vear

Tolstoi

Reef

Tolstoi

Reef

do ...

En glisli Bay

Southwest Bay

Zoltoi

Zoltoi and English Bay . .

Zoltoi

Southwest Bay

Lukannon

Zoltoi

Reef

Northeast Point

Zoltoi and Reef

Tolstoi and English Bay.

Lukannon.

Northeast Point

Lukannon and Zoltoi.. .

Reef

Lukannon

Zoltoi

English Bay

Ketova

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon . . . .

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Lukannon

Zoltoi

do

do

Ketova

Lukannon

ZoKoi

Ketova

do

Tolstoi

Ketova

Halfway Point

Ketova

Tolstoi

Reef

Northeast Point

Kotova

Reef

Tolstoi

English Bay

Northea.st Point

do

do

do

do

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

15, 314

186

246

579

222

917

1,682

2,701

874

1,167

1, 309

1,971

1,283

518

796

2,654

1,014

2,401

1, 133

2,038

3,623

1,189

756

1,040

1,940

801

3,404

1,179

1,807

1,418

2,845

657

205

150

118

60

193

178

105

77

130

1,250

1,308

5,083

896

506

633

683

1,158

3,150

3,666

2,181

2,142

3,042

679

495

Date.

1871.
Oct. 30

31
Nov. 7
Dec. 19

19

1872.

May 11

^ 14

24

June 1

3

5

10

11

12

13

14

15

17

19

20

21

22

24

27

28

29

July 1

5

6

9

12

13

16

17

19

22

24

25

30

1

6

9

13

17

20

29

7

12

20

3

3

10

21

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Rookery.

Tolstoi

Engli.sh Bay.

Reef

do

do

Total.

Northeast Point .*.

Reef

do

do

Tolstoi

Reef

Tolstoi and English Bay

Southwest Bay

Zoltoi and Reef

Tolstoi and English Bay

f..*. .do

Reef and Northeast Point

Zoltoi

English Bay

Reef

Lukannon

Northeast Point and Ketova . . .

Reef and Zoltoi

English Bay

Tolstoi and Northeast Point

Ketova and Lukannon

Zoltoi

English Bay

Zoltoi and Northeast Point

English Bay

Zoltoi and Lukannon

English Bay

Zoltoi

Halfway Point

English Bay, Lukannon, and.

Northeast I'oint

Zoltoi

English Bay

Zoltoi

do

N orthoast Point

Zoltoi

Nortlieast Point

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Lukannon

Zoltoi

do

do

English Bay

Zoltoi

do

Ketova

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

2,992

30

729

647

3,877

81, 803

5

227

455

759

278

293

209

1,616

662

1,057

1,730

4,714

395

2,828

1,169

1,705

5,547

910

4,618

6,427

1,151

1.841

3,265

6,765

3,139

2,071

2,329

1,116

1,664

7,388

1,384

2,080

638

34

10

119

7

90

3

114

161

99

122

118

93

490

127

91

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

259

Tailea showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1SS9, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1872.

Oct. 29

Nov. 29

30

30

Dec. 5

6

Nov. —

1873.

May 23

23

June 3

4

6

10

11

13

13

16

16

16

18

21

21

23

24

26

27

27

30

July 1

2

3

5

8

0

9

14

15

16

17

18

19

19

21

22

22

24

Aug. 4

13

20

20

Sept. 1

9

29

30

8

16

21

Oct.

Nov.

Dec. 9

30

1874.

Apr. 27

May 6

19

25

30

Kookery.

Zoltoi, Reef, and Lukannon

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

do

Keef

Zoltoi

Total.

Reef

Southwest Bay

Reef and Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Reef and Tolstoi

Southwest Bay and English Bay

Reef and Zoltoi

Tolstoi and English Bay

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Lukannon

Reef

Southwest Bay and English Bay

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi and English Bay

English Bay

Keef and Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Lukannon and Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

do

Zoltoi and Tolstoi

do

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

do

English Bay

Zoltoi

Lnkannon, Ketova, and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

English Bay

Lukannon and Ketova

do

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

do

do

Lukannon

Zoltoi

do

do

Soifthwest Bay

Kotova

do

Zoltoi

For natives' food

Reef

Garbotch

Total.

Northeast Point.
Southwest Bay..

Reef

do

do

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1,284
753
724

1,286
112
426

5,121

81,819

193
104

803

703

920

2,597

1,666

2,029

3,243

1,770

677

465

3,946

652

3,412

1,803

3,159

2, 210

1,147

5,020

1,848

2, 3;i7

1, 9:!8

2,212

710

1,510

2,494

6,278

925

1,248

1,547

L561

929

1,017

5,696

754

1,979

446

2,727

179

168

95

155

119

109

122

10

104

80

154

5,489

231

267

81, 987

10
404
340
301
217

Date.

1874.

June 3

3

4

6

8

9

10

11

13

13

13

16

17

17

19

20

20

23

25

26

27

27

30

July 1

V

3

4

4

6

8

9

9

10

10

13

14

15

16

16

17

17

23

28

Aug. 3

10

17

26

31

Sept. 7

16

25

Oct. 1

19

29

Nov. —

Dec. 17

1876.

Jan. 1

Feb. 10
16
17

May 7
10
14
18
24
31

Jane 1
1
6

Kookery.

Southwest Bay

Reef

Tolstoi and English Bay

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Southwest Bay and English Bay

Tolstoi '..

Reef and Garbotch

Southwest Bay and English Bay

Tolstoi

Northeast I'oint

Reef and Zoltoi

English Bav and Tolstoi

Zoltoi.....'.

Southwest and English bays . . .

Zoltoi and Lukannon

Northeast Point

Zoltoi and Lukannon

English Bay

Reef and Zoltoi

Ketova and Lukannon

Northeast Point

Zoltoi and Tolstoi

English Bay and Tolstoi

Reef, Tolstoi, and Lukannun . . .

Tolstoi

Lukannon

Zoltoi

English Bay

English Bay and Tolstoi

Zoltoi

Tolstoi and Lukannon

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi and Lukannon

English Bay

Zoltoi

Lukannon and Ketova

Zoltoi

Lukannon

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

Reef

dO!

Pups for natives

Reef

Total.

Northeast Point

do

do

do

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

do

Reef

do

do

English Bay and Southwest Bay

Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Tolstoi

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

2,395

538

556

4, 062

639

1,898

634

540

1,982

622

4,737

891

2,689

474

3,419

3,033

7,217

3,982

3,270

1,921

1,321

8,172

1, 212

2,209

2,621

1,5.38

538

3,014

1,564

2,702

1,987

1,580

432

3,367

1,664

2,169

475

1,099

668

533

4,004

130

167

112

107

131

89

201

197

163

174

179

175

236

4,897

1,541

98, 139

25
6
9

16

498

9

20
143
657
492
1,201
203
692

260

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tables thowing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands ditring the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1S70 to 18S9, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND -Continued.

Date.

1875.

June 7

7

7

10

12
12
14
16
16
17
18
19
19
22
22
24
25
26
26
28
30
July 2
3
6
8
9
10
10
13
14
15
16
16
17
22
88
Aug. 4
14
21
2
12
21
30
Oct. 12
Nov. 5
17
29

Deo. 2
4

1876.

Jan. 12

May 23

31

June 3

6

7

8

10

11

13

14

15

17

17

20

21

22

24

Sept.

Rookery.

Zoltoiand Reef

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Southwest Bay,

Tolstoi

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi and Engliah Bay

Halfway Point -

Tolstoi and reef

Lukannon

Southwest Bay, English Bay..,

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi ,

English Bay

Lukannon

Northeast Point ,

Southwest Bay ,

Reef

Zoltoi aim English Bay

Lukannon, Ketova, Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi and Lukannon

English Bay

Tolstoi and English Bay

Lukannon and Ketova

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Tolstoi and English Bay

Lukannon and Ketova

English Bay

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

do

do

Eetova

Zoltoi

do

do

do

do ,

...do

do

Tolsloi

Southwest Bay

Pups killed for food.

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Total.

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Reef

Southwest Bay

Reef and Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay ,

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Halfway Point

Tolstoi, Zoltoi, Reef

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

English Bay and Northeast
Point ,

Total
killed
for all

pur-
poses.

711

1,560
27

1,456

631

4,065

739

2,115

707

452

3,303

1,363

5,252

1,830

1,150

3,009

262

7,349

4,047

1,527

3,927

2,534

5,024

1,248

3,370

2,093

1,125

5,937

1,565

1,810

748

2,700

1,205

7,439

557

159

235

192

159

210

143

146

153

115

172

1,990

24

3,745

15

694

94, 960

914

223

189

830

673

468

566

184

1,585

868

811

1,509

2,641

3,120

2,942

3,101

480

10,696

Date.

1876.

June 26

28

29

July 1

4

5

7

8

8

10

13

22

29

Aug. 1

10

17

23

Sept. 1

11

19

28

Oct. 6

14

18

31

Nov. 24

24

Deo. 16

1877.

May 22

June 4

5

9

12

13

14

16

16

18

10

20

21

22

23

23

25

26

27

28

29

SO

30

1

3

4

6

7

7

0

10

10

14

22

6

11

20

30

Sept. 12

21

29

July

Aug.

Rookery.

Zoltoi

English Hill

Zoltoi

Tolstoi and Northeast Point. . .

Tolstoi and Ketova

do

English Bay

Lukannon

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

EngUsh Hill

Zoltoi

....do

Lukannon and Zoltoi

Zoltoi

Ketova

....do

Zoltoi

Ketova

Zoltoi

... do

....do

....do

....do

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

do

Pups killed for food

Tolstoi

Total.

Reef

do

Southwest and English Bay

do

Reef

Halfway Point

English Bay and Southwest Bay

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

do

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Lukannon

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

Halfway Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon

English Bay

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Tolstoi and Lukannon

Tolstoi and English Bay

Lukannon and Ketova

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

...do.....

do

.do.

.do.
.do.
-do.
.do.
.do.

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

862

3,017

1,442

11,495

2,644

2,846

2,267

2,126

2,116

2,039

1,974

53

1,040

3,677

120

134

215

179

130

133

146

133

136

120

163

636

665

3,958

825

83, 157

343

548

799

1,705

449

1,095

1,647

1,507

1,094

1,013

1,458

1,6.31

1,172

1,224

6,965

1,050

1,250

430

2,02«

1,401

2,166

1,917

6,449

1,849

1,534

2,522

2,275

1,113

5,660

495

2,086

2,172

1,066

75

165

172

190

200

196

171

163

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

261

Tables showing in detail all hilling of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Priiilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1S70 to 1889, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Contintied.

Date.

1877
Oct.

Nov.

C
16
24
7
9
12
19
27
29
Dec. 20

1878.

May 19
30

June 8
11
12
13

14

15
17
18

19
20
21

22

22

24

25

26

27

28

29

29

1

2

3

4

5

6

6

8

July

9
10
10
12
13
16
17
18
18
30

Aug. 10
22

Sept. 2
14
24

Oct. 2
10

Nov. 1
4
6
8

26
28

Aug. to^
Dec. 5

Rookery.

Zoltoi

do

do

Zoltoi and Ketova

Zoltoi aud Lukannon

Zoltoi and Reef

Tolstoi

do

do

Northeast Point

Total.

Sea Lion Rock

Southwest Bay

Reef

Tolstoi and English Bay

Reef and Zoltoi ,

Southwest Bay and English

Bay -■

Tolstoi

Ketova, Reef, Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay and English

Bay

Lukannon, Ketova, Zoltoi

Toktoi

Southwest Bay and English

Bay

Zoltoi, Lukannon, Ketova

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi, Ketova, Lukannon

English Bay

Zoltoi and Ketova

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Zoltoi and Ketova

Lukannon

Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Ketova

Northeast Point

Halfway Point, Lukannon,

Ketova

Zoltoi

do

Northeast Point

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

Zoltoi

MiddleHill

Zoltoi

do

Lukannon

Zoltoi

do

do

do

do

Lukannon

do

do

do

do

Reef

do

Tolstoi and Reef

do

Northeast Point (watchmen)
Total

Total
kiUed
for all

pur-
poses.

171

157

146

2,715

1,535

757

222

1,259

383

20

67, 810

206
703
857
2,409
556

1,099

887

1,283

1,501

2,278

998

1,731

1,457
1,309
5,900
1,473
1,552
1,896
2,672
1,661
1,131
6,375
2,237
3,903
791
2.010
2,622
1,036
7,231

1,369
916

2,288

3,322

3,600

2,101

1,986

2,337

1,549

272

404

294

173

211

156

144

148

149

1,380

2, 000

1,255

571

1,144

853

133

88, 519

Date.

1879.
May 19
26
June 2

7

9
10
11

12
13
14
16
17
18
19
20
21
16
17
18
19
20
23
24
25
26

27
28
23
24
25
26
27
30

July

July

1

2

3

4

5

June 30

1

2

3

4

7

8

9

10

7

8

9

10

14

15

10

16

25

Aug. 2

2

11

20

27

28

Sept. 5

8

9

18

18

18

18

29

29

29

Oct. 7

Rookery.

SonthweBt and English bays. . .

Reef

do

English and Southwest bays,

Tolstoi

Reef

Halfway Point

Southwest and English bays . . .

Tolstoi

Reef, Zoltoi, Ketova

Southwest Bay and Middle Hill.

Halfway Point

Southwest Bay and Middle Hill.

Reef, Ketova, Zoltoi

Southwest BayandEnglishBay.

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

Reef, Ketova, Lukannon

Northeast Point

do

do

do

do

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

Southwest and English bays.. .

Reef, Zoltoi, Ketova

Tolstoi, Middle HiU, EngUsh

Bay, Zoltoi

Halfway Point

Ketova, Reef, Lukannon, Zoltoi

Northeast Point

do

do

do

do

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

English Bay

Lukannon and Zoltoi

Zoltoi and Middle Hill

English Bay

Lukannon and Ketova

Northeast Point

do

do

do

do

Zoltoi and Middle Hill

Zoltoi, Ketova, Lukannon

Zoltoi and Ketova

do

Northeast Point

do

do

do

Zoltoi

Zoltoi and Ketova

Middle Hill, Lukannon, Tolstoi

do

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

do

...do

Specimens

Zoltoi

Southwest Bay

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Halfway Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Ketova

Total
killed
for all

par-
poses.

278
525
162

1,627

434

1,188

1,462

498

730

997

522

1,331

914

1,110

1,176

1,053

1,528

966

1,860

1,745

1,289

2,300

1,822

1,995

1,542
1,940
1,206
1,550
1,414
1,339
1,074
1,665
2,617
2, 148
1,885
1,932
2,106
1,168
2,524
1,628

866
1,988
2,077
1,528
1,920

983

948
2,418
1,264
1,519

398
2,652
1,233
2,882

157

278
13

273

195

206
18

203
1

184
16

174
2
5
4

198
6
7

109

262

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tables ahoiving in detail all killing of fur seals, for tvhatsQever purpose, on the Prihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of th« Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
lS70to 1SS9, both inclusive — Continned.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

Nov.

1879.

Oct. 20

29

30

31

31

3

3

5

5

10

13

27

6

10

26

26

Dec.

1880.

May 14

22

22

June 1

8

9

11

12

14

15

16

17

18

19

14>

19^

21

22

23

. 24

25

26

21?

26^

28

29

30

1

2

3

3

5

5

6

7

8

9

10

5-10

12

13

14

15

16

17

28

30

31

Aug. 11

19

28

8

18

30

July

Sept.

Rookery

Lnkannon

do

do

Ketova

do

Lukannon

do

Garbotch

do

do

Reef

do

Garbotch

Reef

Northeast Point.
Southwest Bay..

Total.

Southxrest Bay

Reef

Northeast Point

Reef

Southwest Bay

Reef

English Bay, Tolstoi

Southwest and English bays.

Halfway Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Zapadnie and English Bay...

Ketova, Zoltoi, Reef .'

Tolstoi and English Bay

English Bay and Middle Hill.

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Ketova, Zoltoi, Reef

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

Reef, Zoltoi, Ketova

English Bay and Middle Hill.
Ketova, Zoltoi, Reef

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Ketova, Lukannon, Zoltoi

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

do

English Bay and Middle Hill . . .

Ketova, Zoltoi, Reef

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Lukannon and Ketova

Tolstoi

Tolstoi and Lukannon

Zoltoi, Reef, Lukannon, Ketova.
Tolstoi, Lukannon, Middle Hill

Zoltoi, Ketova, Lnkannon

Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Ketova, Lukannon

Tolstoi and Euf^lish Bay

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon, Ketova.

English Bay

Middle Hill and Lukannon

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Zoltoi

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

263

544

335

999

107

1,153

31

1,466

79

356

260

172

1,206

1,308

62

5

88, 221

-do.
.do.
-do.
do.
-do.
.do.

209

225

19

216

1,497
926
889
763

1,204

765

990

18

1,619
802

5,279

1,459
1,035
1,702
1,437
2,582
1,062

6,202

1,516

1,743

2,297

1,622

2,374

1,386

7,167

789

651 i

1,577 I

1,654 !

2,221 1

1,428

1,221

7,073 ;

817 '■

1,763

2,640

1,834

2,461

534

43

228

218

253

160

189

195

239

227

Date.

1880.
Oct. 12
25
Nov. 2,>
3,5,6^
Dec. 6
9
24
11
29

Nov.

1881.
Jan. 1-3
May 4

14

29

June 6

7

9

10
14
15

16
17
18
20
21

22

23

24

25

27

28

29

30

July 1
2

4

5
0

7

8

9

12
13
14
15

16
18
19
20

Rookery.

Lukannon

English Bay

Lukannon, Reef, Ketova.

Reef

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Middle HiU

English Bay

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

260
193

4,410

1,176
13

82
270
270

Total 1 84,779

Tolstoi and reef

Additional skins found on re-
count

Additional skins found in salt. .

Reef

Reef and Zoltoi

Southwest and English bays,
Tolstoi

Zoltoi

Halfway Point

Zoltoi

Southwest and English bays,
Tolstoi

Zoltoi, Reef, Lukannon

Halfway Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon

Tolstoi, Middle Hill, Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi, Northeast Point

Reef and Tolstoi

Halfway Point, Middle Hill,
English Bay, Tolstoi

Middle HiU, Lukannon, Zoltoi,
Reef

Middle Hill, Engli.sh Bay, Tol-
stoi, Northeast Point

English Bav, Southwest Bay,
Northeast Point

Lukannon, Zoltoi, Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Tolstoi and Lukannon

Halfway Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi, Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Ketova, Northeast Point

Southwest Bay, English Bay,
Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Tolstoi, Middle HiU,
Northeast Point

Halfway Point, Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle HiU, Tol-
stoi

Zoltoi, Tolstoi, Lukannon

EngUsh Bay, Middle HiU

English and Southwest bays . . .

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi, Zoltoi Ketova, Lukan-
non

Zoltoi, Ketova (711), North-
east Point, food (16)

Middle HiU, Tolstoi, Zoltoi,
Ketova, Lukannon

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Tolstoi, Zoltoi, Ketova, Lukan-
non

1,058

8

3

165

423

1,250
127
474
196

2,387

724

539

1,229

1,614

4,103

3. 049
1,164

3,082

1,275

2,043

3,318

2,967

4,596

3,358

943

3,758
1,949

4,853

;!, 421

2, 2G9

2,631
3,075
1,782
1,473

3,561
727
2,455
2,301
2,536

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

263

Tables showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever i>urpose, on the Prihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1889, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1881.
July 27

18-29
Aug. 5
10
17
20
26
29

6
17
19
28
10
25

5

16
17
21

7

9

Sept.

Oct.
Nov.

Dec.

1882.
Jan. 12
Feb. 8
10
May 22
31
Jnne 2

7

8

10

12

13
13
14
16
17
19

20

21

22

23

24

26

27

28
29

July

Rookery.

30

1
3

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

do

Northeast Point

do

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Zoltoi (208), Northeast Point (5)
Zoltoi (211), Northeast Point (5)

Zoltoi, Northeast Point

Tolstoi..

Middle Hill

Tolstoi

Middle Hill

Southwest Bay

Reef

Total

Reef

do

...do

Tolstoi

Reef

Southwest Bay, Middle Hill,
Tolstoi ,

Southwest Bay

Zoltoi and Reef

Tolstoi and Reef

Southwest Bay and Northeast
Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay and Tolstoi . . .

Halfway Point, Reef, Tolstoi .

Southwest Bay and Tolstoi . . .

Ketova, Reef, Zoltoi, North-
east Point

Southwest Bay and Northeast
Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, North-
east Point

Ketova, Reef, Zoltoi, North-
east Point

Halfway Point and Northeast
Point

Middle Hill, Tolstoi, Northeast
Point

Southwest Bay and Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Reef, Tolstoi, Northeast Point

Middle Hill, Tolstoi, Northeast
Point

Halfway Point, Lukannon,
Northeast Point

Northeast Point and Reef

Southwest Bay and Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Zoltoi and Northeast Point

Middle Hill, Zoltoi, Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

202

38

224

276

10

6

240

7

249

11

205

213

216

227

209

683

494

462

1,022

1,294

83, 774

80

103

8

126

246

400
849
428
488

2, 223

217

366

803

1,458

1,070

1,829

3,069

1,617

2,811

2,528

1,560

3,164

3,226
4,270

2,239

2,469
1,601

3,805

2,575
3,034

1,540

2,673

Date.

1882.
July 8

10

12
13

14

17

18
19
20
25
27

Aug. 4
14
26

Sept. 4
15
27
30

Oct. 6
17
30
30

Nov. 17
28
30

Deo. 4

6

12

1883.
! May 26
June 4

6

9

11

12
13
14
15
16
18
19

20
27

22

23

18-23

25

26
27
28
29

30
2.5-30
July 2
3
4
5
6

Rookery.

Halfway Point and Northeast
Point

Reef, Ketova, Lukannou,
Northeast Point

do

Southwest Bay and Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi, Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Zoltoi, Lukannon, Ketova

Southwest Bay

Zoltoi

Northeast Point ". . . .

Zoltoi

do

do

do

do

do

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

do

Reef '.

Northeast Point

Middle Hill and Tolstoi

Reef

Tolstoi

Reef

do

do ,

Total.

Southwest Bay

Southwest and English bays,

Tolstoi

Halfway Point

Reef

Southwest Bay, Middle Hill,

Tolstoi "

Reef and Zoltoi ,

Halfway Point

Southwest and English bay s. .

English B.ay and Tolstoi

Reef and Zoltoi ,

Southwest Bay

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-

stoi

Halfway Point and Lukannon .

Reef and Tolstoi

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon

.Southwest and English bays . . .

Zoltoi, Tolstoi, Reef, Lukannon.

English Bay, Middle Hill, Zol-
toi

Lukannon, Reef, Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Southwest Bay

Middle Hill and Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon

Zoltoi, Middle Hill, Tolstoi....

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

2,454

3,291
2,833

3,420

3,087

2,593

1,012

1,276

727

204

19

252

226

234

191

237

227

25

201

261

166

23

248

383

429

498

388

400

79, 834

230

592

354
177

405
352
252
490
440
341
417

735

908
972

1,401
1,078
3,279

1,428

838

1,640

1,612

1,519
1,191
5,012
1,700
2,151
1,494
2,346
1,755

264

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tables sliowing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Prihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1S70 to 1S89, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

Rookery.

1883.

July 7

8

2-9

10

12

13
14

16
17
18
19

Aug. 1
10
20 i

Sept. 1
12
2-1

Oct. 6
20
29

Nov. 1
2
5
15
26
27
27

Dec. 12
19

1884
Jan. 2

Mav 15
21
24
27

June 3

9
10
11

12
13
14
56
17

18
19
20
21
21
23
24
25
20

27
27
28
30
July 1

Zoltoi, Reef, Lukannon

Middle Hill

Northeast Point ,

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tols-
toi, Zoltoi

Halfway Point, Lukannon,
Zoltoi

Southwest Bay ,

English Bay, Middle Hill, Zol-
toi

do

Halfway Point and Zoltoi

Southwest Biiy

Middle Hill, Lukannon, Zoltoi

Zoltoi

i...do ,

...do

do

do

do

do

do

Reef

Ketova

Reef

do

do

do

Tolstoi

Northeast Point (to date)

Reef

do

Total.

^Reef

(Northeast Point (to date)

do

Halfway Point and Reef

Northeast Point (to date)

Southwest Bay and Reef

Reef

Southwest and English bays,
Zoltoi

Reef and Halfwny Point

Ketova and Tolstoi

Southwest Bay and Halfway
Point

Zoltoi, Ketova, English Bay

Zoltoi and Reef

Halfway Point

Southwest Bay

English Bay, Tolstoi, Reef,
Zoltoi

Halfway Point

English Bay and Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Zoltoi and Reef

Northeast Point

Halfway Point and Zoltoi

Zoltoi, Keef, Lukannon, Ketova

Southwest Bay

English Bay,!Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi ,

Zoltoi, Reef, Ketova

Northeast Point

Tolstoi, Middle Hill, Lukannon.

Zoltoi and Halfway Point

Zoltoi, Reef, TolstoX Lukannon.

Engli.sh Bay and Middle Hill..

Southwest Bay, Zoltoi, Middle
Hill, Lukannon

English Bay and Tolstoi

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

939
1,164
5,066

1,923

1,659
2,444

2,136

2,060

1,116

1,876

8,183

191

250

102

278

123

286

200

200

1,562

336

884

119

134

155

84

66

420

421

63, 295

177
36
20

187
15

427

318

767

1,239

426

1,364
865
771
838

1,424

1,266
912
487
1,793
1,117
3,992
2,163
1,729
1,197

2,546
1,830
5,134
1,500
1,662
1,826
1,888

1,340
1,522

Date.

Oct.

1884.
July 1-4

5
7
8
9
10

7-10
12

14
15
16

17
18

14-18
19

21

Aug. 1

5

12

19

26

Sept. 2
12
19
27
5
14
22
30

Nov. 3

5

10

24

Dec. 5

6

24

1885.

Mav 19

' 27

June 3

6

11

13

15

16

17

18

10
2U
22
22
23
23
24

25
25
26
26
27
27
29
29
30

Rookery.

Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Reef, Ketova

Halfway Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon

Southwest Bay

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast Point

Middle Hill, Tolstoi, Lukan-
non, Zoltoi, Eeef

Halfway Point and Zoltoi

Southwest Bay

English Bay, Middle Hill, Ke-
tova

Zoltoi and Lukannon

English Bay, Tolstoi, Middle
Hill

Northeast Point

Middle Hill, Tolstoi, Lukannon,
Ketova, Zoltoi, Reef

Middle Hill, Zoltoi, Tolstoi,
Ketova

Zoltoi

...do

....do

do

...-do

do

do

do

do

....do

Lukannon. ..

Reef

English Bay.

Reef

do

Tolstoi

Reef

do

English Bay.
Reef .'..

Total.

Sea Lion Rock

Reef

Zoltoi

Zoltoi and Reef

do

Tolstoi and English Bay.

Halfway Point

Zoltoi and Reef

Southwest Bay

English Bay, Middle Hill, Zol
toi.

Lukannon and Halfway Point.

Zoltoi and Reef

Zoltoi, Reef, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Halfway Point and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

English Bay, Southwest Bay,

Middle Hill

Reef and Lukannon

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Lukannon, Zoltoi, Reef

Northeast Point

.Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay and Middle Hill. . .

Total
killed
for all

pur-
poses.

5,799
1,251
1,935

2,071
1,966

1,920
3,003

3,067
2,515
2,052

1,526

1,782

1,872
5,089

2,529

1,911

198

92

80

90

78

160

147

131

150

142

144

115

179

1,956

785

182

153

495

265

244

88, 861

181

141

49

73

125

587

741

973

1,700

617
1,309

986

789
1,532
1,143

847

1,733
1,681
1,051
1, 373

667
1,328

539
1,602

553
2,681

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

265

Tables shoicing in detail all killing of fur seals, for tvhaisoever purpose, on ihe I'ribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1889, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

188f).

June 'M

July 1

1

2

2
3
3
4
4
6
6
7

8
9
9
10
10
13
13
14
14
15
15
10
10
17
17
18
18
20
20
21
21
22
22
23

Rookery.

Aug

Sej.t

Oct.

Nov

Df

23

24

25

27

3

12

21

5

12

25

7

14

20

2

4

7

9

21

31

1880.
Jan. 21
29
5
8
17
10-17

Mav

Northeast Point

Reef, Lukannon, Zoltoi,Ketova

Northeast Point

Tolstoi, Middle Hill, English

Bav

Nortlieast Point

Halfway Point and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Lukannon and Zoltoi

Jiiortheast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Middle Hill, Southwest Bay,

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Lukannon, Ketova

Northeast Point

Middle Hill and Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bav and Tolstoi

Northeast f*oint

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point and Lukannon . .

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Reef. Tolstoi, Middle Hill

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Middle Hill and English Bay . . .

Northeast Point

Zoltoi and Lukannon

Northeast Point

Middle Hill, English Bay,

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point, Middle Hill,

Ketova

English Bay, Zoltoi, Ketova,

Middle Hill, Lukannon, Reef. .

Zoltoi, Reef, Middle Hill

Zoltoi

do

Zoltoi and Reef

Zoltoi

do

....do

do

do

do

Reef

do

do

Middle Hill.
Reef

do...

Northeast Point.

Total

Sea Lion Rock

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

do

Southwest Bay and Reef.
Northeast Point

Total
killed
tor all
pur-
poses.

1.053
1,777
1,096

1,465
631

2,134
658
976
161

1,271
522

2,664

1,184

2,550

740

1, 294
793

2,304

671
2,134

822
2,692

955
2,139

363
2,137

757
2,203

647
1,552

616
1,591

828

2, 723
474

2,743
687

1,603
631

2,498

2,215
983
147
179
185
135
155
152

78
122

85
1,524
964
300
332
148

1,096

48

88, 880

84

49

7

5

300

49

Date.

1886.
May 29
June 4
8

9

10
11
14
14
15
15
16

16
17
17
18
18
19

19
21
21
22
22
23
23
24
24
25

25

26

28

28

29

29

30

30

1

1

2

2

3

5

5

6

6

7

7

Julv

9

10
12

13
12
14
14
15
15
16
16
17

17
19
19
20

20

Rookery.

Reef

do

Tolstoi, English Bay, South-
west Bay

Halfway Point

Reef and Zoltoi

English Bay

Lukannon Reef

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point .

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay and Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point ,

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, English Bay, Mid-
dle Hill, Tolstoi '.

Northeast Poiat

....do

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

English Bay and Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

English Bay and Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Reef, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bav, Middle Hill,
Tolstoi . . -■

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Ketova, Lukannon.

Halfway Point

Southwest Bay and Southwest
Point

Northeast Point

English Bav and Middle Hill. . .

Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Reef, Ketova, Lukannon .

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Southwest Bav and Southwest
Point ■ ;..

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast Point

Total
killed
for all

pftr-
poses.

153
562

1,323

299

634

214

427

1,343

1,166

1,116

850
585
833
761
651
376

1,064

371

1,891

1,161

1,0(17
659

1,770
955

1,555
498

2,158

581

441

1,070

926

1,503

794

490

1,056

1,319

1,202

856

566

1,263

1,163

1,180

942

866

1,969

1,187

1,466

952

1,563

636

1,133

1,014

1,442

1,501

1,074

602

1,957

899

937

1,013

2,057
407

2,312
7.53

;j, 140
801

266

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tables showivg in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoci'er purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from,
1870 to 1889, both inclusive — Continued.

■J

ST. PAUL ISLANB— Continned.

Date.

Nov.

1886.
Jnly 21
21
22

22

23
23
24
24
26

Aug. 3

9

19

30

Sept. 6

17

29

Oct. 11

28

5

6

8

10

22

23

Dec. 1

21

1887.

May 24

June 1

6

9

11

13

15

16

17

20

20

21

21

22

22

23

24

24

23

25

27

27

28

28

29

29

30

30

1

1

2

2

4

4

5

5

6

6

7

7

8

Rookery.

J lily

Halfway Point ,

Northeast Point

Southweil Bay and Southwest

Point

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon, Ketova

Northeast Point

English Bay and Middle Hill. .

Northeast Point

Halfway Point, Southwest Bay,

Lukannon, Zoltoi

Zoltoi

do

do

do

do

do

Reef

do

do

do

Reef and Lukannon

Reef

do

do

Tolstoi

Reef

Tolstoi

Total.

Reef and Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Reef and Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Soutli west Bay

Reef and Zoltoi

Halfway Point

English Bay and Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Reef

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi, Middle Hill, English

Bay

"West Point and Southwest P>ay

Northeast Point .".

Reef, Zoltoi, Ketova, Lukannon .

Northeast Point

Middle Hill and Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

English Bay

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

English Bay and Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1,476
312

2,015
923

3,147
739

1,625
658

1,993
75
152
134
96
148
146
148
144
152
768
445
900
711
379
289
380
191

88, 085

275

138

419

315

501

407

526

750

765

523

1,899

1,641

452

1,004

1,172

1,314

521

1,165

709

1,961
1,180
1,205
2,964

691
1,895
1,144
1,604
1,203
1,162
1,201
1,616

624
1,703
1,196
2, 023
1,056

990
1,247
1,622

994
1,125

Date.

1887,
July

8
9
9

12
12
13
13
14
14
15
15
16
16
17
18
18
19

19
20
20
21
21
22

22
23

24

31

Aug. 1

8

16

24

Sept. 5

6

15

28

6

17

26

1

3

4

6

7

25

26

Dec. 9

15

Oct.

Nov.

1888.

Jan.
May

June

Rookery.

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Ketova

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Tolstoi and Lukannon

Northe.ist Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

West Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast I'oint

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon. Ketova.

Northeast Point

Halfway Point and Lagoon

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Middle
Hill .'

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay, Reef, Zoltoi,
Lukannon

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

do

Reef and Lukannon

English Bay

Middle Hill

English Bay

Zoltoi

do

do

do

do

Reef..

do

do

Zoltoi

Middle Hill

Reef

Middle Hill and Tolstoi

do

Sea Lion Rock and Southwest
Bay ,

Total
killed
for all

pur-
poses.

Total.

Northeast Point

Tolstoi, Reef, Sea Lion Rock . .

Reef

do

Northeast Point

Reef

Reef and Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

English Bay

Halfway Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

795

2,065

429

2,595

2, 219

3,029

1,930

1,201

826

1,298

803

986

546

617

2,108

1,671

2,038
922

3,209
11, 092

1,397
798

1,877
1,082

2,226
232

39
137
113
209
521
403
356
192
100
116
108

76
1,013
1,132

32

65
611

82
185
450

169

89, 092

545

131

113

82

82

121

175

342

543

587

428

789

764

1,490

490

930

1,400

1,604

801

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

267

Tables showing in detail all hillimj of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Prihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company— that u, from
1870 to 1889, both iiiclusive — Continued. ^

ST. PAUL ISLAKD— Continued.

Date.

1888.
Juno 22
23
22
25
25
26

26

27

27
28
28
29
29
30

30
July 2
2
3
3
4
4
5

5
6
6

7
7
9

9
10
10
12

12
13
13
14
15
15
16
16
17
17
18
18
19
19
20
20
21
21
21
23
23
24
24
25

25
26
26
27
Aug. 2
8
16
23
24
24

Eookery.

English Bay, Tolstoi.Middle Hill

Northeast Point

do

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi .

Northeast Point

Keet', Zoltoi, Ketova, Lukan-

non

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Middle Hill, English Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Lukan-
non

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Lukan-
non, Middle Hill

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point :

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

West Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

English Bay^ and Tolstoi ,

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi ,

Northeast Point

English Bay and Tolstoi

Lagoou

Northeast Point

Reef, Lukannon, Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Middle
Hill

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay and Zoltoi

Zoltoi ".

do

do

Middle Hill and Lukannon

Zoltoi

do

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

702
565
973
1,440
870

1,158
1,509

2,005

850

911

1,180

1,098

625

1,625
964
2,071
1,413
1,188
1,439
822
1,241

1, 942

446

1,491

1,609

490

906

2,398

1,740

1,083

959

1,557

927

1,337

912

773

550

481

2,004

1,038

2,055

1,328

2,216

1,004

1,410

705

2,018

046

1,157

190

742

1,269

917

347

970

1,619

1,028
1,353
050
950
177
140
159
364
321
19

Date.

1888.

Sept. 6

15

22

29

10

18

27

3

5

7

8

9

15

26

30

17

26

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

June

1889.
May 22
25
28
31
5
10
12
14
15
17
17
18

18
19
19
20
21
22

24

24

25

25

26

26

27

27

28

28

29

29

1

1

2

2

3

4
4
5
5
6

6

8

8

9

9

10

10

12

July

Rookery.

Zoltoi

do

do

do

Lukannon

Middle Hill

....do

Middle Hill and Zoltoi.

Reef

do

....do

...do

Middle Hill

Reef

....do

Tolstoi

Sea Lion Rock

Total .

Sea Lion Rock

Reef

....do

Northeast Point •

Reef

....do

Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Reef

Southwest Bay

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Middle

Hill

Northeast Point

...do

Reef, Zoltoi. Lukannon

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Middle

Hill

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Halfway Point and Lukannon. .

Northeast Point

English Bay and Middle Hill ..

Northeast f^oint

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Ketova

Northeast Point

do

English Bay and Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Middle

Hill

Reef. Zoltoi, Lukannou

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, Middle

Hill

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon

Northeast Point

English Bay and Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

114

100

98

98

83

98

111

126

761

547

716

154

277

111

129

206

78

86, 270

124
41
234
133
201
120
947
762
340
895
1,054

1,161

1,270
494

1,561
253

1,205

1,355

754

2,578

979

1,407

1,314

441

311

844

1,349

479

335

1,038

1,200

1,023

834

968

1,841
1,706
1.559
1,255
1,524

1,302
376
814
914

1,314
641
654
800

2,004

268

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tables showing in detail all hilling of fu7- seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company— that is, from
1870 to 1889. both inclusive — Continued.

I ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1889.
July 13
13
15
15
16
16
17
17
18

18
19
19

20
20
22

22
23
23
24
24
25
25
26
26

Rookery.

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay and Middle Hill.

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Halfway Point and Lukannon

Northeast Point

L:igoon, English Bay, Middle
Hill

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

English B.ay, Middle Hill, Lu-
kannon

Northeast Point

Reef Zoltoi, Ketova

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

English Bay and Middle Hill.

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1,006
793
3,085
1,838
1,911
1,156
1,931
948

2,046
1,282
2,017

834
1,913

243

1,943

350
1,122

740
1,384

616

1,756

1

680
1,483

Date.

1889.

July 27
29
29
30
30
31
31

Aug. 6
14
22
31

Sept. 9
18
25
5
15
26
4
19
21
27
27
30

Dec. 11

Oct.

Nov.

Rookery.

Zoltoi and Lukannon

English Bay and Middle Hill.

Northeast Point

Hal f way Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Lukannon

Zoltoi

do

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

do

do

do

do

Lukannon

Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Reef

do

Zapadnie

Reef

Zapadnie

'Total.

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1,105

1,643

1,624

973

615

538

100

163

131

141

179

141

110

107

120

103

132

1,169

1,460

347

192

10

240

243

73, 982

ST. GEORGE ISLAND.

1870.

1871.

Juno 4

6

8

9

13

15

17

20

22

24

26

27

28

July

Not indicated in the records

of this year.

Alaska Commercial Co., Hutch-
inson, Kohl & Co

Total

Near

Northeast

Near

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

Northern

Southwest Bay

Northeast

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

Northeast

Starry Arteel

Northern

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

Northern

do

Southwest Bay

Northern

do

Southwest Bay

Northern

Southwest Bay

Northern

do

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

Northern

Taken in October

Pups for food

Total

1,200

473

6,786

8,459

123

98
69
277
322
301
434
172
518
594
298
462
571
875
303
518
612

1,769

1,021
481

1,038

1,264
484
945
542
792

1,054
730

1,270
893
237

2,090

21, 157

1872.

June 3

5

8

10

11

11

12

12

15

15

17

19

19

19

22

22

22

24

24

25

25

27

28

29

29

July 1

2

2

3

4

5

6

6

7

9

9

10

11

12

14

15

15

17

18

Southwest Bay

North

East

Southwest Bay

North..

Starry Arteel .
Southwest Bay

East

Starry Arteel . .

North

East

North

Starry Arteel .
Southwest Bay

East

North

Starry Arteel..
Southwest Bay

East

Starry Arteel..

North

Starry Arteel..

North

Starry Arteel..,
Southwest Bay

East

North

Starry Arteel . .
Southwest Bay

East

Starry Arteel . .
Southwest Bay

North .'.

East

Starry Arteel..

North

East

Southwest Bay.

North

East

Starry Arteel . .

North

East

Starry Arteel..

140
26
49
162
81
175
98
61
140
188
405
300
212
261
860
349
701
261
629
500
237
805
400
560
643
981
454
431
245
641
300
574
274
718
367
300
610
1,412
482
1,332
600
583
770
, 575

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

269

Tables showing in detail all killing of fin- seals, for whatsoever purpose,on the Pribilof
Islands ditring the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Conqjany — that is, from
1870 to 1S89, both inclusive — Coutiuued.

ST. GEORGE ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1872.
July 19
20
22
22
23
25
25
25
27
27
27
27

1873.

June 4

5

6

9

10

12

13

16

17

19

21

21

23

24

25

26

27

28

30

30

2

3

4

5

8

8

9

11

11

12

13

14

16

17

18

20

21

23

23

25

26

28

28

July

1874.
June 1
8
11
12
14
16
18
22
23
27

Eookery.

Southwest Bay

East

Starry Arteel

North

East

Starry Arteel

East"

North

East

North

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

Killed for natives' food.

Total

North

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

East and Starry Arteel.. .

Southwest Bay

North

Southwest Bay

North and Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

East

Starry Arteel and North . .

Southwest Bay

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel and North. .

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel and North. .

Southwest Bay

Bast

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

East

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

East

Starry Arteel and North. .

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel and North. .

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel and North .

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel and North.

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel

East

Pups killed for food

Total.

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1,171
400
600
320
703
300
400
252
350
85
200
227

2,000

27, 000

198
240
285
190
275
300
521
378
174
313
506
870
180
499
195
241
301
493
310
168
332
564
592
517
743
616
690
974
602
474
345
337
480
1,097
913
1,359
1,810
513
889
1,710
600
588
1,528
2, 190

27, 190

North

do

East

Starry Arteel and North.

Southwest Bay

East ■

Starry Arteel and North .

East

Starry Arteel and North .
Southwest Bay

56
81
116
154
250
170
354
178
378
575

Date.

1874.

June 29

July 1

3

8

9

14

15

16

18

20

22

24

24

1875.

June 1
9
11
14
16
18
19
23
24
28
30

July 5
7

12
U
17

1876.
June 1
8
12
14
15
22
25
27
29
3
6
7

July

1877.
June 1
12
13
14
18
20
22
23
26
29
3
6
9
10

July

Kookery.

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

do

East and North

East

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

East

East and North

East

North

Pups killed for food

Total

Starry Arteel and North

do

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

Southwest Bay

East

Starry Arteel and North .

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

North

do

KiUed for food

Total

North

Starry Arteel and North

East

Southwest Bay ,

Starry Arteel and North ,

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel

East ,

Pups for food

Total

North

do

East

Southwest Bay ■

North and Starry Arteel .

East

North

East

North and Starry Arteel .

East

North and Starry Arteel .

East

North

East

Killed for food

....do

Total

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

686
800
792
641
548
263
534
568
411
871
778
640
156
2,446

12,446

302
256
177

307
358
334

1,294
666
540
692

1,412
717

1,019

1,073
676
177

1,500

11,500

415

372

388

599

784

581

2,067

1,168

1,023

1,259

1,027

317

1,500

11, 500

198

702

578

1,389

1,154

838

871

552

1,860

1,589

1,669

2,164

300

880

256

1,500

16, 500

270

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tables showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1889, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. GEOKGE ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1878.
June 10
14
17
19
22
25
27
28

July 1
2

4
8

10
12
13
15
17
19
21

1879.

June 3

10

II

12

13

16

17

19

20

20

23

23

25

25

26

27

30

July 3

3

4

5

6

8

14

16

16

24

28

Atis. 6

10

Sept. 1

23

2

15

3

8

8

G

Kookery.

Oct.

Tn'ov.

Doc.

North

Southwest Bay

North, Starry Arteel, East

Southwest Bay

North and Starry Arteel

East

Southwest Bay

do

Killed for food to date

East

North and Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

East

North and Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

do

East

East and North

North and Starry Arteel

East

Killed forfood to May 19, 1879.

Total.

North

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel

Southwest Bay

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel and North . .

East

Southwest Bay

North and Starry Arteel .

Southwest Bay

East

Southwest Bay

....do

North and Starry Arteel .

East

North and Starry Arteel .

Southwest Bay

do

North

East

North and Starry Arteel

East

North

Southwest Bay

do

North .

do.

do.

North .

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

325

1,074

858

717

570

324

851

517

405

644

930

1,433

793

1,333

328

1,025

1,892

1,290

1,577

1,291

2,627

20, 804

Killed forfood

Southwest Bay and Starry Ar-
teel ."

69

450

105

413

372

445

502

755

473

434

515

576

888

524

278

1,179

1,595

1,414

849

351

535

1,775

1,263

1,840

863

1,3b"

8

63

48

68

54

47

58

48

18

318

1,506

113

Total 22,190

1880.

May 1 8 j North

26 Starry Arteel
June 3
9
12

North ,

East

North and Starry Arteel.

14

23

82

338

664

Date.

1880.

June 14

15

17

17

19

19

21

22

23

25

25

28

29

30

July 1

2

2

5

G

7

9

16

17

20

28

Aug. 6

^ 11

Sept. 1

2

27

Oct. 5

28

Nov. 1

9

18

Dec. 1

3

1881
May

June

July

11
12
12
14,15
14
16
26
30
9
15
26
3

Kookery.

East

Southwest Bay

do

North and Starry Arteel.

Eait

Southwest Bay

North and Starry Arteel.

Southwest Bay

East -■

Southwest Bay

North and Starry Arteel

East

Southwest Bay

Starry Arteel

Nortli

East

Southwest Bay

North and Starry Arteel

East

Southwest Bay

East

During season perished on the

drives
North

Zapadnie

....do

North

....do

North and East

North

Zapadnie

North

....do

....do

...-do

Zapadnie

do

East

Zapadnie

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

352

738

254

559

599

223

1,183

518

814

839

1,322

1,770

816

808

392

956

961

515

1,483

1,814

949

28

72

7

8

60

51

226

40

35

47

62

501

765

30

10

05

16

Total 20,939

Aug.

Sept.

North

do

Starry Arteel, East, North

do

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East

do

East and Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, Zapadnie.

East

Starry Arteel and North

East and Zapadnie

Zapadu)e, Starry Arteel, North.

East

Starry Arteel and North

Zapadnie

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel

Zapadnie

East

Zapadnie

East, North, Starry Arteel

North

.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.

32

55

612

920

498

622

445

1,030

518

553

815

1,119

1,034

1,378

1,182

476

1,356

363

1,310

498

771

1,715

592

1,639

43

45

57

92

52

52

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

271

Tables showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands dHring the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1S89, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. GEORGE ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1881.
Sept. 13

24
Oct. 3

22
Nov. 2

10

30

1882.

Maj' 22
29

June 6
12
16
19
22
24
27
29
1
3
5
8
10
11
12
14
15
17
18
19
20

Aug. 5
11
17
25

Sept. 15

Nov. 22
28

July

July

1883.
May 26
June 4
12
i5
19
22
25
28
30
2
4
7
9
10
10
11
12
13
16
17
17
18
19
20
21
23
25
27
30

Rookery.

North

East

North

East

North

do

Starry Arteel

Total.

North

do

do

Starry Arteel, North, East

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

East

Starry^ Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

North

East

Starry Arteel

East

....do

do

Starry Arteel

do

Total.

North

do

Starry Arteel and East

do

Starry Arteel

East and Starry Arteel

East, North, Starry Arteel.

....do

...do

....do

....do

....do

Zapadnie

Little East and East

Zapadnie

North and Starry Arteel. . .

Little EastandEast

North and Starry Arteel. .

Little East and East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . . .

Little East and East

Zapadnie

Little East and East

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel
East

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

65

88

68

50

559

472

113

21, 289

12

48

26

509

890

927

847

1,195

1,044

1,273

1,065

911

1,384

1,955

1,371

1,115

1,070

527

649

1,022

1,086

655

50

40

45

34

44

46

119

19

19, 978

Starry Arteel, North, East.
do

40
78
136
287
61
380
6S4
443
611
340
200
647

1,336
307
507
263
546
321
775

1,017
130
467

1,216
281

1,150

766

78

606

505

Date.

1883.
July 31

Aug. 13
21
31

Sept. 14

Oct. 19
29

Nov. 2
19

1884

May 21

26

June 4

10

12

16

18

21

23

26

28

1

1

3

7

10

12

14

15

16

18

19

23

24

25

26

30

4

4

14

21

Sept. 2

15

Nov. 3

5

12

26

July

Aug.

1885.

May 18

June 1

11

15

18

17

15

22

27

29

July 3

7

10

13

17

20

25

3

Kookery.

Aui

Starry Arteel, North, East

During theseason, perished on

drives

East

Near

Little East

East

Near

Near and North

North

North and Starry Arteel

Total.

East

North

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapacluie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

do

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapatlnie ,

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

East and Little East

Starry Arteel and North . . .

Zapaclnie

East and Little East

Starry Arteel and North . . .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . . .

East and Little East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

East

do

North

East

Near

North

...-do

do

do

Starry Arteel

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

Total.

North

do

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapadnie

do

Starry Arteel and North . . .

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

North

....do

473

38

100

50

60

54

120

540

340

171

16, 214

15

52

119

1,222

694

585

572

592

603

578

489

289

11

71

90

1,269

973

302

465

726

996

506

797

744

597

573

640

225

19

48

64

60

60

515

482

503

27

16, 573

40

38

750

77

698

802

825

414.

1,775

401

2,287

789

2,158

1,011

2,222

483

35

23

272

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Tables showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1889, hath inclusive — Continued.

ST. GEORGE ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1885.

Aug. 6

21

25

Nov. 4

6

18

21

1886.

May 18
28

June 8
14
10
14
17
21
22
23
24
28
29

July 1

5

6

7

10

12

14

15

19

21

22

23

Aug. 2

2

9

17

23

Sept. 6

Oct. 26
28

Nov. 8
13

1887.

May 20

^ 28

9

14

15

20

21

25

27

28

30

1

4

6

8

11

12

14

18

19

21

22

June

July

Rookery.

North

East

North

Near

North

do

Starry Arteel

Perished on drives during year.

Total

East

North

Captured skins

Zapadnie food skins

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapailnie

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . .

East.'

Zapadnie

do

Starry Arteel and North . .

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . .

East

Starry Arteel and North . .

Zapadnie

East

Starry Arteel and North . .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . .

East

East and North

Near North

do

East

North

East

North

do

East

North

East

Perished on drive

Total.

North

do

North and East

North, East, Starry Arteel .

Zapadnie

do

Starry Arteel, North, East.

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

Zapadnie

East, North, Starry Arteel. .

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, Near, North.

East

Zapadnie

Near, North, Starry Arteel.

East

Starry Arteel and North. . . .

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

50

65

37

250

700

120

41

53

16, 144

39

102

4

81

1,430

779

1,438

843

742

343

306

288

632

482

620

503

650

867

745

888

712

663

853

527

295

14

11

66

42

70

76

759

24

527

3

12

16, 436

25

32

390

465

427

261

974

533

599

847

410

100

883

1,321

421

701

1,296

1,509

1,077

894

1,130

489

Date.

1887.

Aug. 3

6

12

20

22

Sept. 5

10

19

Oct. 24

Nov. 1

7

1888.

June 6
11
12
16
18
19
22
25
26
27
29

July 2

3

4

6

9

10

12

13

16

17

18

19

20

23

24

25

26

27

27

Aug. 9

9

15

20

28

Sept. 5
27

Oct. 20

Nov. 1
5

Aug. 20

1889.

May 22

Juno 4

10

17

18

21

22

24

25

27

29

July 1

2

Rookery.

Near

East

do....

do....

do....

Near

Zapadnie .

do....

East

Near

do....

Total.

North

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East.

do

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East.

do

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North...

East

Starry Arteel and North . . -

Zapadnie

East

Starry Arteel and North . . .

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

Zapadnie

North

Starry Arteel and East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East. .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East. .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East. .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East. .

Near

North

do

East

Starry Arteel and North . . .

East and Starry Arteel

North

North and East

North

do

Zapadnie (for watchmen) . . .

Total.

North and East

East

Zapiiduie

do

Starry Arteel, North, East.

East

North and Starry Arteel. . .

Zapadnie

East and North

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and East

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel.
do

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

53

41

87

23

61

44

24

45

126

766

614

16, 668

121
272
455
227
427
324
764
911
895
438
343
343
532
50R
650
389
1, 170
820
518
705
4)0
692
366
554
179
405
159
521
144
410
39
39
37
191
494
428
40
73
610
368
68

17, 034

60
156
207
244
773
176
284
596
496
223
429
167
275
418

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

273

Tables showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Prihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commerdal Company — that is, from
1870 to 1SS9, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. GEORGE ISLAND— Contimied.

Date.

1889.
July 8
10
12
13
15
16
18
19
22
23
24
25
27
28
29

Rookery.

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel.

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel.

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel.

do

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

229
270
192
667
371

1,028
439

1,140
500

, 628
279

1,430
942
568
515

Date.

1889.

Aug. 10

" 19

30

Sept. 7
21
30

Oct. 11
21
31

Nov. 6
12
25

Rookery.

North

do

do

East

do

North

do. ........

Starry Arteel.

North

do

do

Starry Arteel.

Total...

Total
killed
for all

pur-
poses.

55

56

48

64

50

33

37

32

4

606

477

61

15, 225

Fur seals killed on the island of St. Paul, for all purposes, from 1870 to 1889, loth inclusive.
[Compiled from tables on file in the Treasury Department.]

Seals killed for natives' food.

Seals kiUed for skins for
lessees.

Total of bachelors killed,
accepted and rejected.

Grand
total of

seals
killed
for all

pur-
poses.

Tear.

Pups.

Bach-
elors.

Skins

ac-
cepted.

Skins

re-
jected.

Bach-
elors.

Skins

ac-
cepted.

Skins

re-
jected.

Bach-
elors.

Skins

ac-
cepted.

Skins

re-
jected.

1870

1871

1872

1873

1874

1875

1876

1877

1878

1879

1880

1881

2,800
2,877
5, 121
5,489
4,897
3,745
3,958
5,007
5,206
5,071
4,413

6,449
2,341
6, 916
2,090
4,874
6, 282
5,061
4,041
4,718
5,070
4,466
7,538
5,175
3,168
3,907
3,184
3,08]
4,207
3, 762
3.400

'2,"290'
5,365
1,198
4,225
5,784
3,064
2,853
3,632
3,898
3,408
6,068
3,362
2,194
2,582
2,508
2,480
3,975
3,700
2,570

6,449

51

1,551

892

649

498

1,997

1,188

1,086

2,072

1,418

1,470

1,813

974

1, 325

676

601

232

62

830

6,065
75, 585
69, 782
74, 408
88, 368
84, 933
74, 138
58, 762
78, 595
77,280

75, 900

76, 236
74, 659
57, 145
82, 213
82, 908
82, 180
82, 708
80, 330
81,712

6,017

74, 628

69, 570

73, 884
88, 258
84, 860
71,137
58, 732
78, 570
77, 280
75, 872

70, 169

74, 581
57, 070
82, 086
82, 866
82, 150
82, 679

80, 314

81, 698

48
957
206
524
110

73
1

30

25

'"'28'
67
78
75
127
42
30
29
16
14

12, 514
77, 926
76, 698
76, 498
93, 242
91, 215
79, 199
62, 803
83, 313

83, 250
80. 366
83, 774
79, 834
60, 313
86, 120
86, 092

85, 261

86, 915

84, 092
85,112

6,017

76, 918
74, 941
75, 082
92, 483
90, 644

77, 201
61, 585
82, 202

81, 178

78, 920

82, 226
77, 943
59, 264

84, 668

85, 374
84, 630

86, 654
84, 014
84, 268

6,497

1,008

1,757

1,416

759

571

1,998

1,218

1,111

2,072

1,446

1,537

1,891

1,049

1,452

718

631

261

78

844

15, 314
81,803
81, 819
81, 987
98, 139
94, 960
83, 157
67, 810
88, 519
88, 321
84, 779
83, 774

1882

79, 834

1883

1884

1885

1880

1887

1888

1889

2, 982
2,741
2,788
2,824
2,177
2,178
2,280

63, 295
88, 861
88, 880
88, 085
89, 092

86, 270

87, 392

Total .

67, 554

90, 630

64, 796

25, 834

1,463,907

1,461,427 2,480

1,554,537

1,526,212

28, 314

1,622,091

Note.— The above statement includes all seals killed from all causes, either intentional or accidental,
incident to the taking of seal skins on the island of St. Paul.

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 18

274

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Fur seals killed on the island of St. George, for all purposes, from 1870 to 1889, both

inclusive.

[Compiled from tables on file in the Treasury Department.]

Seals killed for natives' food.

Seals killed for skins
for lessees.

Total of bachelors killed,
accepted and rejected.

Grand
total of

Tear.

Pups.

Bach-
elors.

Skins

ac-
cepted.

Skins

re-
jected.

Bach- Skins
^l'''-^- cept^d.

•
Skins

re-
jected.

Bach-
elors.

Skins
ac-
cepted.

Skins

re-
jected.

killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1870 .. .

1,200
2,090
2,000
2,190
2,446
1,500
1,500
1,500
1,500
1,506
1,330
1,031

7,259

18, 830
25, 000
25, 000
10, 000
10, 000
10, 000
14,744

17, 772

19, 841

18, 907

19, 446
19, 495
14, 739
14, 728
14, 745
14, 606
14, 727
14, 647
13, 642

7,259
18, 830
25, 000
25, 000
10, 000
10, 000
10, 000
14, 744

17, 772
19, 758

18, 830
19, 360

19, 440
14,675
14, 620
14, 686
14. 578
14, 725
14, 582
13, 641

83
77
86
35
64
108
59
28

2
65

1

7,259
19, 067
25, 000
25, 000
10, 000
10, 000
10, 000
15, 000

19, 304

20, 684
12, 609
20, 258
19, 978
15, 214
15,073
15, 064
15,150
15, 312
16, 056
14, 154

7,259
19, 067
25, 000
25, 000
10, 000
10, 000
10, 000
15, 000

18, 988
20, 322

19, 395
19, 869
19, 811
15, 143
14, 843
14, 990

14, 991
15, 196

15, 903
13, 921

-------

"'sie'

362
214
389
167

71
230

74
159
116
153
233

8,459

21, 157
27 000

1871

1872 ...

237

237

1873

27, 190

1874

12, 446

1875

11, 500

1876

11,500

1877

1878

1879

1880

1881

1882

256
1,532
843
702
812
483
475
345
319
544
585
1,409
512

256
1,216
564
565
509
371
468
223
304
413
471
1,321
280

'"'sie'

279
137
303
112
7
122

15
131
114

88
232

16, 500
20, 804
22, 190

20, 939

21, 289
19, 978

1883

1884

1885

1886

1887

1888

1889

1,000
1,500
1,080
1,286
1,356
978
1,071

16,214

16, 573
16, 144
16, 436
16, 668

17, 034
15, 225

Total..

28, 064

9,054

7, 198 1, 856

1

318, 128

317, 500

628

327, 182

324, 698 2, 484

355, 246

IfoTE. — The above statement includes all seals killed from all causes, either intentional or accidental,
incident to the taking of seal skins on the island of St. George.

Fur seals Ictlled on the islands of St. Paul and St. George, for all purposes, from 1870

to 1889, both inclusive.

Seals killed for natives' food.

Seals killed for skins
for lessees.

Total of bachelors killed,
accepted and rejected.

Grand
total of

P<

05

O

"3

I

90, 630
9,054

6 .

eSra
02

a o

02

2
o

"a

.sg-

2-d

CO .xJ

P o

1

.a
o
cS

M

.sg*

m

•r-l ®

seals
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

St. Paul Island..
St. Georgelsland .

67, 554
28, 064

64, 796
7,198

25. 834
1,856

1, 463, 907
318, 128

1, 461, 427
317, 500

2,480
628

1, 554, 537
327, 182

1, 526, 212
324, 698

28, 314

2,484

1,622,091
355, 2 iG

Total

95, 628

99, 684

71, 994

27, 790

1, 782, 035 1, 778, 927

3,108

1,881,719

1, 850, 910

30, 798

1, 977, 337

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Seals taken on St. Paul Island hi 1890.

275

Date.

Rookery.

Total.

Date.

Rookery.

Total.

May 28
June 6

119
116
574
182
317

16
167
274

78
339
438
292

96
521
179
426
205
266
166
117
396
230
206

79

209

98 i
246
131

242 '

96 i

183 1

180 1

July 4
4

5
5

7

»

8

8

9

9

10

10

12

13
13
14
15

15
16
17
17
18
18
19
19
20

20

Tol8toi,EnglishBay,MiddleHill

494
321

Reef

11

do

Reef

526

13

Tolstoi

74

16

Reef

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi, Lukannon, Ketova

Northeast Point,

17

-Northeast Point

411

17

Halfway Point

336

18

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

261

18

Northeast Point

379

20

Reef and Lukannou

163

20

Northeast Point

271

21

Southwest Bay

Reef

378

21

Northeast Point

112

23
23

English Bay and Lukannon

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-

stoi, Lukannon, Ketova

Halfway Point

633

24

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

211

24

Northeast. Point

658

25

Halfway Point

Reef

104

25

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi, Lukannon, Ketova

Northeast Point

26

315

27

English Bay and Middle Hill...
Northeast Point

245

27

do

312

28

Reef

Polavina, Lukannon, Ketova...

372

28

Northeast Point

485

30

Tolstoi, Middle Hill, English
Bay, Ketova

do

405

Zanadnie

236

30

Northeast Point

Keef and Zoltoi

556

July 1

Reef

446

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi, Ketova, Rocky Point

2

Halfway Point

780

2

Northeast Point

556

3

Southwest Bav

Total

3

Northeast Point

17 124

Seals taken on St. George Island in 1890.

Date.

June 2

16

18

19

20

23

25

28

30

Julv 1

3

5

7

Rookery.

North

East

North

East and Little East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North .

East and Little East

Starry Arteel and North .

Zapadnie

Ea.st and Little East

Starry Arteel and North.

East and Little East

Zapadnie

Total.

Date.

71

July 8

218

9

118

11

181

12

394

14

164

15

184

16

189

18

189

20

149

20

238

57

58

Rookery.

East and Little East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

Zapadnie

East

Starry Arteel and North

East."

Starry Arteel and North
Zapadnie

Total

Total.

24
193

60
103

53
132
119

71
641
527

4,133

276 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

PAST AND FUTURE OF THE FUR SEAL. '

BY JOSEPH STANLEY-BROWN.

There are but two groups of fur seals to furnish to the world its
supply of seal skins, the fur seal of the north and the fur seal of the
south.

When Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe in 1577-1580 the
Arctocephalus, or southern fur seal, was to be found at not less than
thirty localities, and their numbers aggregated millions. To-day the
contributions of these southern waters are from three resorts, and do
not usually reach 15,000 skins annually.

When Vitus Bering, in 1741, was wrecked upon the Commander
Islands, off the coast of Kamchatka, and Pribilof searched out, in
1780-87, the group of islands in Bering Sea that bears his name, there
were discovered, not only the chief breeding grounds of the northern
fur seal, CaUorhinus ursinus, but some of the most superb seal rookeries
the world has ever known. It is questionable if mortal vision ever
rested upon more magnificent displays of amphibian life than were to
be seen on the island of St. Paul at the time of its discovery. To-day
these subarctic resorts are prostrate ; their glory also has departed, and
they furnish a home for but a mere remnant of the seals that formerly
swarmed in myriads along their rocky shores.

For two years the hopes of thoughtful persons were high, that through
the medium of international negotiations and the deliberations of wise
and able men the safety of the fur seal would be at last secured. To-day,
when the decision of the Paris Tribunal is common property, we find
l^ublic opinion divided on the question as to whether the practical ajipli-
cation of the decision will preserve the fur seal as a commercial com-
modity.

CHARACTEKISTICS OF THE SEAL.

The condition of af^iirs thus briefly outlined is all the more deplorable
when we consider the cliaracteristics of the animal with which we are
dealing. It is a creature peculiarly adapted by its habits to man's man-
agement. It occupies no territory needed, as were the buffalo's feeding
grounds, for the subsistence of more valuable domestic animals; no
herders are required to i^reveut its being lost in the wastes of the ocean,
and no expense is incurred either to protect it from the inclemency
of the weather or to provide a winter food supply; yet with more cer-
tainty than the ranchman's flocks and herds seek the home range do the
seals annually return to their breeding grounds where, under proper
management, they can without injury to the parent stock be made to
yield a profit equal to if not greater than that derived from the cattle
of the plains or the sheep of the mountains.

THE SOUTHERN FUR SEAL AND ITS DESTRUCTION.

Despite these characteristics, which must have been apparent to the
most ignorant and unobservant, what has been the course of events?
Turning first to the fur seal of the south we find that as early as 1690
some little interest was manifested in its capture, but it was not until
the close of the last century that the pursuit was begun in earnest.
Hardy mariners, stimulated by the hope of sharing in thejirofits of the

1 From Bulletin United States Fish Commision, 1893, pp. 361-370.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 277

fur trade which the Russians had developed with the Chinese, searched
out the resorts of the southern fur seal; ravaged them year after year,
in season and out of season; slaughtered the helpless creatures with
clubs on laud regardless of age or sex; gathered a harvest of 10,000,000
or 17,000,000 skins, and by 1830 had practically destroyed, in the south-
ern seas, this valuable fur-bearing animal. If all these resorts were in
their original condition and under wise and prudent direction, they could
easily supply to the fur trade annually something like a half a million
skins, with corresponding advantage to an army of skilled artisans. As
it is, indiscriminate butchery has left only the Lobos Islands rookeries
at the mouth of the La Plata River and a few insignificant resorts at
Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, the total yearly yield of which
is, as before stated, less than 15,000 skins. Such destruction is left abso-
lutely without justitication in the face of man's entire ability to main tain
the fur seal rookeries at the highest possible limits permitted by the
operation of nature's restrictions, or when depleted to develop them
again. This is not idle speculation, but rests upon a firm foundation of
fact furnished by the history of the fur seal of the north.

THE NOKTHEKN FUE SEAL AND ITS RELATION TO THE SEAL-SKIN

INDUSTRY.

The two great resorts of the northern fur seal are the Pribilof and
Commander islands in Bering Sea. Robbens Reef, a rocky islet in the
Okhotsk Sea, has a small rookery, and a few localities of minor impor-
tance are found along the Kurile Islands. While the Russians who
first discovered these resorts prohibited all interference from outsiders,
their own treatment of the seals was similar to that practiced by the
sailors in the south. No attention was paid to sex, season, or period of
procreation, and it was not long before the end came there just as it had
done in the south. The Russians were taught by this severe lesson
that the only way in which the rookeries could be restored and per-
petuated was to protect the females from death and the breeding
grounds from molestation. This course, accompanied by practically a
suspension of killing during certain years, was rigidly adhered to, with
the result that when the rookeries of the Pribilof Islands were turned
over to the United States in 1867 their condition, instead of being one
of exhaustion, approximated that which existed when they were first
discovered. The truth of this will be more apparent when it is stated
that in 1868, before the United States could assume and exercise con-
trol over its newly acquired possessions, nearly a quarter of a million
skins were improperly taken from the islands of St. Paul and St. George
by unauthorized persons without apparently producing any diminution
of the numbers which came the following year.

Although there are but four of these northern localities, and Russian
mismanagement from time to time played such havoc with them that
the catch was an uncertain quantity, still they have contributed since
their discovery between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000 skins to the fur trade,
or about one-third as many as have been furnished by the southern
resorts. From the time that the fur seal of the south ceased to be of
commercial importance trade has relied upon these rookeries. Thanks
to the more enlightened policy employed by the Russians, and adopted
and improved upon by the United States, these rookeries of Bering
Sea contributed to commerce for the twenty years ending with 1889 a
uniform yearly quota of nearly 150,000 pelts, which formed the basis
of and made possible the systematized seal-skin business of modern

278 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

times. As a raw commodity they sold for an average of $2,500,000 at
the annual London trade sales, and the Pribilof quota yielded the Gov-
ernment of the United States in revenue more than the $7,200,000
originally i)aid for the entire Territory of Alaska. The value of raw
seal skins is now represented by about $15 for skins taken at sea and
$00 for Pribilof skins. At the present revenue rate, if it were now
possible to take from the Pribilof Islands the former yearly quota, the
Government income would be nearly $1,000,000 annually.

IMPORTANCE OF THE SEAL-SKIN INDUSTRY.

The seal-skin industry is of no slight importance, and its proportions
are but roughly indicated by the first profit on the raw skins. These
peltries must be gathered in remote regions ; they form part of the
transportation business of railroad and steamship lines; coopers must
make casks for their shipment; they must pass through the bands of
many laborers before they reach the 40 buyers in London who purcliase
them, and the 2,000 skilled artisans who convert them into fabrics
suited to the use of trade; and when all this is done there must still be
stores maintained and clerks employed in order that they may find
their way to the wealthy consumers. The labor incident to the taking,
transporting, manipulating, and disposing of these peltries demands
the employment of thousands of persons each year, and when we recall
the prices jiaid tor these skins when converted into the garments dic-
tated by fashion, it will readily be seen that it is an industry the ulti-
mate value of which is represented by millions of dollars annually.
Above all it is a peculiarly worthy industry, in that it gives occupation
to many, while the profits come from the purses of those best able to
pay them.

CAUSE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE NORTHERN FUR SEAL.

Some ten years ago there was put in operation on the American side
of the Pacific Ocean an agency of destruction, the growth of which, if
uninterrupted, promised to prove as effective as did the sailors' clubs
upon the southern resorts. Its promise has been generously kept, and
from its deadly though partially controlled effects the rookeries are
now suffering. That agency was pelagic sealing, or the taking of seals
at sea by means of weapons. The source of the injury is the indis-
criminate killing. Whether this is practiced on land, as in the south,
or at sea, as in the north, the outcome is the same. No animal which
produces but a single offspring each year can long survive an attack
which involves the death of the producing class, the females. I am
aware that there is another side to this question, and that two great
nations point each a finger at the other and say: "You did it." The
subject-matter of that contention is only germane to such a paper as
this in so far as it touches upon the career of the seal, and only to tliat
extent will it be referred to.

England and Canada hold the theory (which, in justice to them,
should be stated) that the decline of the northern rookeries was due to
excessive killing on the islands, ])elagic sealing being a factor of only
secondary importance. If this tlieory meant that after |)elagic sealing
had made serious inroads upon the seal herds it was excessive killing
to continue taking the annual quota of 100,000 skins, it would be a
sound one, and the United States would be culpable to that extent,
but England and Canada would not acce])t this limitation; they want
it to account for much more. They fail, however, to sustain their

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 279

theory until they show by clearest proof that the decline of the rook-
eries began prior to the development of i^elagic sealing, and also get
rid of the awliward fact that for the first twelve or fifteen years tliere
was no difficulty in securing the annual quota allowed by law. Why
did this alleged decadence through excessive killing on land take so
long to manifest itself? Certainly the evils of indiscrimination is not
inherent in land killing; on the contrary, selection can be exercised at
the rookeries as readily as it can be at the abattoir, and there is no
more necessity for molesting the females than there would be for a
farmer to ship all of his herd to Kansas City and have the selection of
the killable males made at the stock yards. The briefest recital of the
facts of seal life will make this plain.

THE FACTS OF SEAL LIFE.

The northern fur seals, unlike their southern relatives, are forced eacli
year by Arctic cold and the necessity for tood to leave their homes on
the approach of winter and to seek the southern waters and the abun-
dant fish supply along the continental shores. The migration routes
of the Alaskan and Asiatic herds do not coalesce, nor do the seals
intermingle. Late in April or early in May, depending upon the char-
acter of the season, the breeding males, bulls, or " seecatchie," first
return to their resorts from this migration. About a month later the
mature females or " matkie" begin to seek the breeding grounds, and
between the time of arrival of these two classes the young males or
" hollustchikie" are swimming in the water near the rookery fronts or
hauling out upon the hauling grounds some distance away from the
areas occupied by the matuie seals. The young males are not permit-
ted to gather upon the breeding grounds until, by reason of age and
strength, they are able to maintain a position there.

Each old bull when he arrives in the spring selects and maintains,
often by desperate combat, a little area upon which he hopes to estab-
lish his household. The male weighs four or five times as much as his
consort, and, as is usually the case where the male preponderates in
size, they are extremely polygamous. Their vitality and virility is
almost beyond belief. For eighty or ninety days, while they are mak-
ing secure their position, and while guarding and presiding over their
families or " harems,'' they are debarred from both food and water.
When the season of propagation is past they again betake themselves
to the sea, and the breeding grounds are given up to the intermingling
of young males, females, and pups, but during that eighty or ninety
days the immature males from 1 to 5 years of age have been compelled
to consort together upon the hauling grounds, and thus there is given
an opportunity without in any way interfering with the course of events
upon the breeding grounds, to drive away, select, and slaughter such
of these young males as will furnish desirable pelts. These are the
only skins shipped from the islands.

Can anyone successfully maintain that in the case of polygamous
animals the taking of the surplus male life and reserving the females
can destroy the herd? If this can be demonstrated, then our stock-
raisers are at fault, and the evidence derived from Russian manage-
ment goes for naught.

THE FACTS OF PELAGIC SEALING.

Before the breath of life can be breathed into this theory of decadence
through excessive killing on the islands there must be removed from

280 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the record books certain well-established facts concerning pelagic seal-
ing. It will be necessary to dispose of the fact that while in 1878 there
was but 1 vessel engaged in pelagic sealing, the number steadily
increased until in 1892 there were li!2 to follow on the migration tracks
of the herds, to harry them eight months- out of the twelve, and, if
permitted, to accompany them to and even upon their chosen resorts.
There must also be a successful refutation of the fact that there is a
loss of at least 10 per cent inherent in the methods of taking seals at
sea; that pelagic sealing strikes at the very life of the rookeries, by
killing 75 or 80 per cent of the females, more than half of which are
mothers whose death involves that of their unborn offspring; and that
the period of gestation being nearly twelve months, a mother killed in
Bering Sea means that three seal lives may pay the penalty.

It is equally important to the maintenance of this theory that there
be an elimination of the fact that during the four seasons, ending with
the past one of 1893, there were taken on the Pribilof Islands only a
total of 50,000 skins of young males, while during that same period
there were actually marketed by the sealers over 200,000 skins, which
represented only about half the injury done the seal herds, an injury
falling heaviest upon the producing class, the females. For four years
there has been practically a closed time on these islands, and pelagic
sealing has had full swing in the iS'orth Pacific. The rookeries have
not improved under these conditions, and until the records of the real
cause of destruction stand impeached it is idle to offer obscure and
improbable explanations for the present condition of seal Ufe.

It has only been profitable to follow this question of the cause of the
decadence to indicate what might be expected from pelagic sealing.
Whenever and to whatever extent carried on, its deadly efl'ects are cer-
tain and continuous, the amount of injury being limited only by the
magnitude of the enterprise. Improprieties on land can be guarded
against, but the disastrous consequences of pelagic sealing are inherent
to the business and are beyond man's control. They can be lessened,
but only through the curtailment of the number of seals taken. The
injurious effect upon the herd, while proportionately less, remains a con-
stant factor.

In following the career of an animal possessing such capacity for
self-perpetuation and ready adaptability to the uses of man, the student
of natural history or of economics is struck by the wanton and needless
destruction which pursues it wherever found. As to its future he turns,
for what comfort he may be able to extract, to the decision of that court
of recent if not last resort — the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration.

THE PARIS TRIBUNAL OF ARBITRATION.

The causes which led to the arbitration are known to all. For some
years the Alaskan fur seal, when on its migration route, had been
the eagerly sought quarry of the pelagic hunters. This route, which
by reason of its vast extent and proximity to inhabited shores makes
this herd especially vulnerable to attack, extends from the Pribilof
Islands southward through the passes of the Aleutian chain, expands
in the broad Pacific, but ultimately brings the seals in more compact
masses to the North American Coast, and thence along its shores, back
through the passes, to the Pribilof Islands again. Eealizing the peril
of the rookeries, the Government of the United States attempted to
partially protect them by seizing sealing schooners in Bering Sea.
Each year it was thought that at least so far as these waters were con-

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 281

cerned the danger would cease, but eacli year it increased us the vessels
multiplied and the skill and knowledge of the sealers became greater
and was ultimately extended to the Asiatic herd which frequents the
Kussian or Commander Islands. The continued seizing of schooners
by the United States met with remonstrances on the part of Canada
and England, and finally, after much irritation and heat, became the
subject of diplomatic negotiations, the peaceful outcome of which was
the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration.

Three duties were intrusted to the Tribunal of Arbitration : It was to
settle certain jurisdictional questions, to decide the question of property
rights, and in the event of the matter being left in such shape that the
concurrence of Great Britain was necessary to establish regulations for
the purpose of protecting and preserving the fur seal, it was to frame
such regulations as would be applicable outside of the jurisdiction of
the respective Governments and to indicate the nonterritorial waters
over which these regulations should extend. As it is not important in
this connection to consider the jurisdictional phases of the case there
will be taken up at once the property question and the regulations — the
two points that immediately concern us; the former from the stand-
point of general interest, and the latter by reason of their intimate
relation to the future of the seals.

THE AMERICAN POSITION.

The able representative's of the United States took the position that
the tribunal was bound by no precedents, and possessed, by virtue of its
very origin, a creative as well as a judicial function. They urged upon
the tribunal the taking of high ground and the settlement of the ques-
tion upon broad and comprehensive principles. They pointed out that
man, by means of invention, was rapidly extending his dominion over
the water, as he had over the land, and, by employing methods which
were not even dreamed of when many existing municipal and inter-
national laws were enacted, threatened the very existence of many
creatures useful to man. Turning from the citations of voluminous
authorities vindicating the justness of their claim of property right in
the seals and in the industry, they pleaded with sturdy argument and
great eloquence that the tribunal would fail of its high duty did it not
lend its aid to such an extension of the world's idea of property right as
was needed to meet the demands of the advancing age. Tliey asked
that the narrow ground be not taken that this great tribunal was called
into existence solely for the purpose of settling a dispute between two
nations, but that it was given an opportunity and was vested with the
power to make a substantial contribution to international law, and that
its verdict, while disposing of the immediate matter in dispute, should
be such a formulation, upon broader lines, of our conception of rights of
property and of protection as would be of value to all mankind, irre-
spective of nations. They pointed out that the material progress of
the world was based upon the fandamental principle of ownership, and
that the most efiective way of preventing the commercial annihilation
of certain great groups of creatures was by lodging in the nation best
qualified by its geographic position to protect them a custodianship, to
be exercised over them for the benefit of all. It was shown that the
adoption of this i)rinciple would dispose of the question of the relation
of other governments to the subject; would make possible thereliabili
tation of many of the seal rookeries of the south ; that it would protect
such industries as the coral and pearl fisheries, and that it would be

282 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

useful In controlling the rapid inroads man's ingenuity is now making
on the denizens of the sea. In short, that it would be a direct, useful,
and common-sense way of settling the whole matter.

THE BRITISH POSITION.

With equal skill of argument and eloquence of address the advo-
cates of Great Britain and Canada held that the tribunal possessed but
one function — that its duty was to declare the law and not to make it;
but tliafc, whatever its function might be as an international body, it was
not vested with the power to make international law, but must keep to
the straight aud narrow way of settling a contention between two
nations aud adjusting two conflicting methods of catching seals. They
asked that the tribunal provide for the continuation of pelagic sealing
under the most favorable conditions consistent with carrying out the
terms of the treaty. True, nothing was said in the treaty about preserv-
ing the business of pelagic sealing, but before so patient and generous
a court it was not difficult to confuse the issue of i^reserving the seals
and continuing pelagic sealing and to take up a large share of the pro
ceedings with pleadings in behalf of the latter. They demanded that
the question of property right be settled from the standpoint that the
seals were wild animals, which man could only reduce to possession by
destroying. They insisted that the law relating to wild animals, regard-
less of its origin, had been accepted by nations as the years ran on; it
was very old law and very good law; but, whether good or bad, it was
the law, and from its teachings the tribunal must not allow itself to be
enticed away by the seductive citations and insidious arguments of
learned counsel on the other side. There must be no making of laws to
suit new conditions; the old stand by s must be adhered to, whether
applicable or not. They urged that the seals being wild animals, the
United States had done nothing to encourage or develop in them the
animum revertendi — the inclination to return to their homes, as in the
case of bees and similar creatures — and thus had lost their claim to a
property in them, and if the world or a part of it desired to turn out
in boats and to destroy the industry by shooting the seals in the water
they had a perfect right to do so, for a wild animal was free to all. No
matter if seal mothers roaming the sea for food did fall before the gun
or spear of the pelagic hunter and their helpless pups starve on the
rookeries, the hand of destruction must not be stayed, for the United
States had no rights anyone was bound legally to respect when the
seals were 3 miles ofi" shore, and humanitarian considerations had no
place in the controversy. They insisted that the tribunal had no author-
ity in law to declare a property right in the seals or in the industry, but
if the tribunal contemplated disregarding the law and settling this
question on lines of their own choosing they must refrain from doing
so, because it would interfere with that wonclerful invention, the imme-
morial right on the high seas, an interference nations not only would
not brook, but which they would actively resent.

THE TRIBUNAX'S DECISION.

The tribunal, true to the conservatism of the Old World, accepted
this interpretation of their powers, recognized the potency of venerable
legal relics, assented to the arguments of the counsel for Great Britain
and Canada based thereon, and contented itself with deciding that the
United States had no right of protection or property in the fur seals.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 283

THE REGULATIONS.

Tlie next task to which the tribunal uddressed itself was the fram-
ing of regulations. These regulations furnish the last hope for the
preservation of the fur seal as a commercial commodity. It is not
probable that any other nations having seal interests will be content
witli less than the United States secured, nor is it likely they will
obtain more, and thus they represent the measure of protection aE
seals are likely to receive in the future.

After listening to an enormous mass of testimony — some good, some
bad, and some very indiflerent — concerning seal lil'e, the tribunal i)ro-
poses to preserve the Alaskan branch of the northern fur seal by pro-
hibiting sealing within a zone of 60 miles around the Pribilof Islands
by establishing a closed time, or time of no killing at sea, from May 1
to July 31 ; by permitting only sailing vessels to engage in the business
of seal hunting, and requiring them to carry a distinctive flag, to take
out a special license, and to keep a daily record of the catch and the sex
of the seals taken, these records to be communicated to each of the
two Governments at the close of the sealing season; by limiting the
weapons of capture to shotguns in the North Pacific and spears in
Bering Sea, and by requiring the two Governments to take such meas-
ures as will determine whether the hunters are fit to handle with suflQ-
cient skill the weapons by means of which the seals are to be captured.
These regulations, which are to remain in force until they have been in
whole or in part abolished or modified by common agreement between
the Governments of the United States and Great Britain, are to be sub
mitted every five years to a new examination, so as to enable both
Governments to consider whether, in the light of past experience, there
is 0(;casion for any modification of them.

The three prime points in the regulations are: The zone around the
islands; the closed time of three months injected into the middle of the
sealing season, thus breaking it up, and the restriction of the use of
firearms to the North Pacific.

First as to the zone : If there was any one fact clearly established by
the testimony of the pelagic sealers themselves and official experts it
was that in the summer season great numbers of seals, and especially
females, are found at long distances from the islands of Bering Sea,
distances two or three times greater than that of the protecting zone
provided by the regulations. Now, as the object was to preserve the
fur seals, it is proper to assume that the tribunal, prompted by a desire
to protect them, and acting in good faith, established such a zone as
they believed would practically prohibit the attack of the pelagic sealer;
but if this was so, then mere amount of distance was immaterial, and
in view of the fact that incessant fogs brood over the waters of Bering
Sea during the summer season, rendering it difficult to tell when a vessel
is within or without a zone, the limit of which can not be marked, why
not at once adopt that natural and well-defined boundary line, the
Aleutian chain? Just here arises the question: When vessels are
seized, whose word shall be accepted as to the locality of seizure — the
pelagic sealer's or the seizing officer's'? Does not this uncertainty, hav-
ing as it does an important bearing on the question of conviction, weaken
the regulations restraining influence on pelagic sealing? Aside from
questions of protection it seems to me that this part of the decision will
tend to increase dispute and bitterness rather than to diminish it.

The adoption of the closed time means the recognition on the part of

284 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the tribunal that the destruction by the pelagic sealer has been exces-
sive, and the cutting off of one month of the sealing season in Bering
Sea clearly shows that it realized the danger to the herd from allowing
sealing there. Why, then, was sealing not prohibited altogether in
those waters? Is the danger less in August and a portion of Septem-
ber? The seals are still going long distances from the islands and the
sealer can continue his work until stopped by the September gales.
Bering Sea is the focal point, the great massing ground of seal life, and
the seals are more readily taken there than anywhere else. In 1891 the
catch of the Canadian fleet in the North Pacific was a little over 21,000
seals, and before the modus viveudi could be enforced a portion of the
fleet sealed from three to five weeks on the American side of Bering Sea,
and with fewer vessels and with fewer small boats they took in that time
as many seals as they had previously secured in the Pacific. During
the three years ending with and including 1891 the Canadian fleet (and
I only quote from Canadian records, because they are so reliable) took,
in five months, in the Korth Pacific, an average of 567 skins per vessel;
with ten vessels less, they took in Bering Sea 727 skins per vessel in
about two and one-half months.

The proposed regulations still allow at least five weeks' sealing in
Bering Sea; but, say the regulations, the hunters can only use spears
in Bering Sea, thereby intimating that spears are less effective than the
shotguns allowed in the North Pacific, and that an additional safeguard
has therefore been provided in Bering Sea. Just why the shotgun is
pernicious in Bering Sea and is not in the North Pacific is not indicated;
but if we turn to the testimony of the Northwest Coast Indians, who
ship on the schooners and accompany them to Bering Sea, we find that
they claim that they can do better work with the spear than with the
shotgun. The latter makes the game wild, while the former does not.
The spear makes no noise, and they are thus able to take seal after seal
as they sleep on the water, and get all in sight, while at the sound of a
gun's discharge the comrades of the captured or wounded seal swim
away.

It is evident from an inspection of these regulations as a whole that
the tribunal, taking into account the interests of both nations, endeavored
to frame measures which, while protecting the seals, would permit the
continuation of pelagic sealing. Tliis seems to me a task the accom-
plishment of which is an impossibility. The evils of pelagic sealing
appear to have been clearly recognized by the tribunal, but instead of
adopting prohibitive measures it took the middle course of throwing
some protection around the seals, and while at the same time appearing
to concede something to the pelagic sealers, made the conditions just
sufficiently hard as to prevent them from engaging successfully in the
business. It is admitted that these regulations possess value in limit-
ing and discouraging pelagic sealing, but their inherent weakness is
that while they now seem to possess some deterring power, changed
conditions may at any time arise which will negative their influence
and offer inducements sufficient to enable the sealers to again engage
in this business on a large and injurious scale. This contingency is
not so remote as may appear at first sight. In 1889 the average price
paid in Victoria for skins taken at sea was $6.83; in 1890 it had risen
to $10.70; in 1891 it was $15, In 1889 the cost of each skin in wages
was from $2 to $3; in 1890 and 1891 it was $3.50; in 1892 it was $4;
in other words, an advancing price for both master and hunter.

Now, it is evident that it will be some time before the Pribilof Islands
can very greatly increase their annual output of skins. The maximum

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 285

ontput of the Commander Islands has been reached, and probably will
have to be decreased in the future. There must be through these regu-
lations some curtailment of the contribution of the sealing schooners,
and the result of all this will be that seal skins will demand a higher
price. Should that price reach a figure which will compensate for the
obstacles which the regulations place in the way of the pelagic sealer,
then we will have the changed conditions referred to, and pelagic seal-
ing with its attendant evils will go on as before. If there is doubt in
the minds of anyone upon this point it is only necessary to turn to the
history of the sea otter, which, though nearly exterminated, is as
eagerly sought after to-day as it ever was, simply because the ever-
increasing price the trade is willing to pay for its skin still compensates
for the small numbers now taken. There is no reason to believe that
the career of the fur seal will be different from that of the sea otter.

Another possible source of changed conditions lies in the regulations
themselves, for they provide, as we have seen, for their own modifica-
tion every five years, and the pressure will come heaviest from the
pelagic sealers' side of the case. Indeed, the regulations require that
each pelagic sealer — an interested party — shall keep records which are
to be made available when the question of modifications of the regula-
tions arises. Now, while there never was a more fearless and coura-
geous set of men than these pelagic sealers, it will be something entirely
new in their history if their records do not appeal in the strongest pos-
sible terms for a modification of the regulations in their favor.

The final question that arises in regard to these regulations is, will
they, as they now stand, ever be put in operation? The interested
powers have yet to agree upon measures for giving effect to them. Is
it likely that, when a neutral tribunal found the making of regulations
so tedious and difficult, the interested powers will be able without inter-
minable delay and possibly irreconcilable conflict to agree upon " con-
current measures" putting them in force? England has won on the
great law points of the case, but these regulations are objectionable to
Canada, for they bear somewhat heavily upon pelagic sealing; and these
" concurrent measures " offer tempting fighting ground for securing their
modification in favor of the Dominion.

Under the circumstances it is only to be expected that the arts of
diplomacy will be vigorously exercised in that direction. There is but
one course, however, for the United States to pursue — permit no modi-
fications, stand squarely for the prompt carrying out of these regulations,
and let time reveal how much value they possess for protecting the seal
herd. England will champion no plan of greater protection; she has
all to gain and nothing to lose from delay, and it will require all the
energy and firmness of the Executive to put effectively in force the
regulations as adopted by the tribunal.

CONCLUSIONS.

After more than two years of close study of this question it is my
conviction that the only way in which the world can secure the largest
benefit commercially from the fur seal wherever found is by taking the
surplus immature males upon land under the most favorable conditions
suggested by experience; that securing seals by any other methods
introduces the fatal element of indiscrimination ; that the life of the herd
is jeopardized in proportion to the number of females killed; that the
injury inflicted on the northern herds by pelagic sealing increases from
January to August, grows greater as Bering Sea is approached, and

286 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

culminates in those waters ; that the shot^n and spear are both deadly,
the latter by reason of its noiseless efficiency, the former by reason of
its ready use by all classes, and that the disposition of this question on
the basis of adjusting two conflicting interests is futile and illogical,
but material issues are not alone involved; it presents biologic features
as well and has to do with forces of nature beyond man's control.

Kegulations can not be framed by human ingenuity which will pre-
serve the seal herds in their greatest possible proportions and permit
the continuation of successful pelagic sealing. It would be reconciling
the irreconcilable. It would be accomplishing a feat equal to that of
making two bodies occupy the same space at the same time. Either
the regulations will be prohibitive in their operation — in which case it
would be more straightforward to make them so in the first instance —
or, if allowing successful pelagic sealing, they will be valueless in pre-
venting the extermination of the seal. In general it may be said that
no i^elagic sealing can be carried on which is not inherently and uncon-
trollably injurious to the life of the seal herd — the amount of injury
being proportionate to the magnitude of the attack.

AWARD OF THE TRrBTTB" AL OF AEBITRATION CONSTITUTED UlTOER THE TREATY
CONCLUDED AT WASHINGTON THE 29TH OF FEBRUARY, 1892, BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED
KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

[English ■version.]

Whereas, by a treaty between the United States of America and Great
Britain, signed at Washington, February 29, 1892, the ratifications of
which by the Governments of the two countries were exchanged at
London on May 7, 1892, it was, amongst other things, agreed and con-
cluded that the questions which had arisen between the Government of
the United States of America and the Government of Her Britannic
Majesty, concerning the jurisdictional rights of the United States in
the waters of Bering Sea, and concerning also the preservation of the
fur seal in or habitually resorting to the said sea, and the rights of the
citizens and subjects of either country as regards the taking of fur
seals in or habitually resorting to the said waters, should be submitted
to a tribunal of arbitration to be composed of seven arbitrators, who
should be appointed in the following manner, that is to say : Two should
be named by the President of the United States; two should be named
by Her Britannic Majesty; His Excellency the President of the French
Kepublic should be jointly requested by the high contracting parties
to name one; His Majesty the King of Italy should be so requested to
name one; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway should be
so requested to name one; the seven arbitrators to be so named should
be jurists of distinguished reputation in their respective countries, and
the selecting powers should be requested to choose, if possible, jurists
who are acquainted with the English language;

And whereas it was further agreed by Article II of the said treaty
that the arbitrators should meet at Paris within twenty days after the
delivery of the counter cases mentioned in Article IV, and should pro-
ceed impartially and carefully to examine and decide the questions
which had been or should be laid before them as in the said treaty pro-
vided on the part of the Governments of the United States and of Her
Britannic Majesty, respectively, and that all questions consideied by

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 287

tlie tribunal, including the final decision, should be determined by a
majority of all the arbitrators;

And whereas by Article VI of the said treaty, it was further pro-
vided as follows :

In deciding the matters submitted to tLe said arbitrators, it is agreed that the fol-
lowing five points shall be submitted to them in order that their award shall embrace
a distinct decision upon each of said five points, to wit :

1. What exclusive jurisdiction in the sea now known as Bering Sea, and what
exclusive rights in the seal fisheries therein, did Russia assert and exercise prior and
up to the time of the cession of Alaska to the United States?

2. How far were these claims of jurisdiction as to the seal fisheries recognized and
conceded by Great Britain?

3. Was the body of water now known as Bering Sea included in the phrase Pacific
Ocean, as used in the treaty of 1825 between Great Britain and Russia; and what
rights, if any, in Bering Sea were held and exclusively exercised by Russia after said
treaty ?

4. Did not all the rights of Russia, as to jurisdiction and as to the seal fisheries in
Bering Sea east of the water boundary, in the treaty between the United States and
Russia of the 30th of March, 1867, pass unimpaired to the United States under that
treaty?

5. Has the United States any right, and if so, what right, of protection or prop-
erty in the fur seals frequenting the islands of the United States in Bering Sea when
such seals are found outside the ordinary 3-mile limit?

And whereas, by Article YII of the said treaty, it was further agreed
as follows :

If the determination of the foregoing questions as to the exclusive jurisdiction of
the United States shall leave the subject in such position that the concurrence of
Great Britain is necessary to the establishment of regulations for the proper protec-
tion and preservation of the fur seal in, or babituaUy resorting to, Bering Sea, the
arbitrators shall then determine what concurrent regulations, outside the jurisdic-
tion limits of the respective Governments, are necessary, and over what waters such
regulations should extend;

The high contracting parties furthermore agree to cooperate in securing the adhe-
sion of other powers to such regulations ;

And whereas, by Article YIII of the said treaty, lifter reciting that
the high contracting parties had found themselves unable to agree
upon a reference which should include the question of the liability of
each for tlie injuries alleged to have been sustained by the other, or by
its citizens, in connection with the claims presented and urged by it,
and that " they were solicitious that this subordinate question should
not interrupt or longer delay the submission and determination of tlie
main questions," the high contracting parties agreed that "either ol
them might submit to the arbitrators any question of fact involved in
said claims and ask for a finding thereon, the question of the liability
of either Government upon the facts found, to be the subject of further
negotiation ;

And whereas the President of the United States of America named
the Hon. John M. Harlan, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United
States, and the Hon. John T. Morgan, Senator of the United States, to
be two of the said arbitrators, and Her Britannic Majesty named the
Eight Hon. Lord Hannen and the Hon. Sir John Thompson, minister
of justice and attorney-general for Canada, to be two of the said
arbitrators, and His Excellency the President of the French Republic
named the Baron de Courcel, senator, ambassador of France, to be
one of the said arbitrators; and His Majesty the King of Italy named
the Marquis Emilio Visconti Venosta, former minister of foreign affairs
and senator of the Kingdom of Italy, to be one of the said arbitrators;
and His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway named Mr. Gregera
Gram, minister of state, to be one of the said arbitrators;

And whereas we, the said arbitrators so named and appointed, hav-

288 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

iDg taken upon ourselves the burden of the said arbitration, and having
duly met at Paris, proceeded impartially and carefully to examine and
decide all the questions submitted to us, the said arbitrators, under the
said treaty, or laid before us as provided in the said treaty on the part
of the Governments of Her Britannic Majesty and the United States,
respectively ;

Now we, the said arbitrators, having impartially and carefully exam-
ined the said questions, do in like manner by this our award decide and
determine the said questions in the manner following; that is to say,
we decide and determine as to the five i)oints mentioned in Article VI
as to which our award is to embrace a distinct decision upon each of
them:

As to the first of the said five points, we, the said Baron de Courcel, Mr.
Justice Harlan, Lord Hannen, Sir John Thompson, Marquis Visconti
Venosta, and Mr. Gregers Gram, being a majority of the said arbi-
trators, do decide and determine as follows:

By the ukase of 1821 Eussia claimed jurisdiction in the sea now
known as Bering Sea to the extent of 100 Italian miles from the coast
and islands belonging to her ; but, in the course of the negotiations which
led to the conclusion of the treaties of 1824 with the United States and
and of 1825 with Great Britain, Russia admitted that her jurisdiction
in the said sea should be restricted to the reach of cannon shot from
shore, and it appears that from that time up to the time of the cession
of Alaska to the United States Eussia never asserted in fact or exer-
cised any exclusive jurisdiction in Bering Sea or any exclusive rights
in the seal fisheries therein beyond the ordinary limit of territorial
waters.

As to the second of the said five points, we, the said Baron de Courcel,
Mr. Justice Harlan, Lord Hannen, Sir John Thompson, Marquis Visconti
Venosta, and Mr. Gregers Gram, being a majority of the said arbi-
trators, do decide- and determine that Great Britain did not recognize
or concede any claim upon the part of Russia to exclusive jurisdiction
as to the seal fisheries in Bering Sea outside of ordinary territorial
waters.

As to the third of the said five points, as to so much thereof as requires
us to decide whether the body of water now known as Bering Sea was
included in the phrase "Pacific Ocean" as used in the treaty of 1825
between Great Britain and Eussia, we, the said arbitrators, do unani-
mously decide and determine that the body of water now known as
Bering Sea was included in the phrase "Pacific Ocean" as used in the
said treaty.

And as to so much of the said third point as requires us to decide
what rights, if any, in Bering Sea were held and exclusively exercised
by Russia after the said treaty of 1825, we, the said Baron de Courcel,
Mr. Justice Harlan, Lord Hannen, Sir John Thom])Son, Marquis Visconti
Venosta, and Mr. Gregers Gram, being a majority of the said arbitra-
tors, do decide and determine that no exclusive rights of jurisdiction
in Bering Sea and no exclusive rights as to the seal fisheries therein
were held or exercised by Eussia outside of ordinary territorial waters
after the treaty of 1825.

As to the fourth of the said five points, we, the said arbitrators, do
unanimously decide and determine that all the rights of Eussia as to
jurisdiction and as to the seal fisheries in Bering Sea east of the water
boundary, in the treaty between the United Stales and Russia of the
30th March, 1867, did pass unimpaired to the United States under the
said treaty.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 289

As to the fiftli of the said five points, we, the said Baron de Courcel,
Lord Hannen, Sir John Thompson, Marquis Visconti Venosta, and Mr.
Gregers Gram, being a majority of the said arbitrators, do decide and
determine that the United States has not any right of protection or
proi)erty in the fur seals frequenting the islands of the United States
in Bering Sea when such seals are found outside the ordinary 3-mile
limit.

And whereas the aforesaid determination of the foregoing questions
as to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, mentioned in
Article VI, leaves the subject in such a position that the concurrence
of Great Britain is necessary to the establishment of regulations for
the proper protection and preservation of the fur seals in or habitually
resorting to Bering Sea, the tribunal having decided by a majority as
to each article of the following regulations, we, the said Baron de
Courcel, Lord Hannen, Marquis Visconti Venosta, and Mr. Gregers
Gram, assenting to the whole of the nine articles of the following regu-
lations, and being a majority of the said arbitrators, do decide and
determine in the mode provided by the treaty that the following con-
current regulations outside the jurisdictional limits of the respective
Governments are necessary, and that they should extend over the
waters hereinafter mentioned, that is to say:

REGULATIONS.
Article 1.

The Governments of the United States and of Great Britain shall
forbid their citizens and subjects, respectively, to kill, capture, or pur-
sue at any time and in any manner whatever the animals commonly
called fur seals within a zone of 60 miles around the Pribilof Islands,
inclusive of the territorial waters.

The miles mentioned in the preceding paragraph are geographical
miles, of 60 to a degree of latitude.

Article 2.

_ The two Governments shall forbid their citizens and subjects, respec-
tively, to kill, capture, or pursue, in any manner whatever, during the
season extending each year from the 1st of May to the 1st of July, both
inclusive, the fur seals on the high sea, in the part of the Pacific Ocean,
inclusive of Bering Sea, which is situated to the north of the thirty-
fifth degree of north latitude and eastward of the one hundred and
eightieth degree of longitude from Greenwich, till it strikes the water
boundary described in Article I of the treaty of 1867 between the
United States and Eussia, and following that line up to Bering Straits.

Article 3.

During the period of time and in the waters in which the fur-seal
fishing is allowed, only sailing vessels shaU be permitted to carry on
or take part in fur-seal fishing ojierations. They will, however, be at
liberty to avail themselves of the use of such canoes or undecked
boats, propelled by paddles, oars, or sails as are in common use as
fishing boats.

Article 4.

Each sailing vessel authorized to fish for fur seals must be provided
with a special license issued for that purpose by its Government, and
shall be required to carry a distinguishing flag, to be prescribed by its
Government.

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 19

290 ALASKA INDUSTK1E3.

Article 5.

The masters of the vessels engaged in fur-seal fishing shall enter
accurately in their official log book the date and place of each fiir-seal
fishing operation, and also the number and sex of the seals captured
upon each day. These entries shall be communicated by each of the
two Governments to the other at the end of each fishing season.

Article 6.

The use of nets, firearms, and explosives shall be forbidden in the
fur-seal fishing. This lestriction shall not apply to shotguns when such
fishing takes place outside of Bering Sea during the season when it
may be lawfully carried on.

Article 7.

The two Governments shall take measures to control the fitness of
the men authorized to engage in fur-seal fishing. These men shall have
been proved fit to handle with sufficient skill the weapons by means of
which this fishing may be carried on.

Article 8.

The regulations contained in the preceding articles shall not apply to
Indians dwelling on the coasts of the territory of the United States or
of Great Britain, and carrying on fur-seal fishing in canoes or undecked
boats not transported by paddles, oars, or sails, and manned by not
more than five persons each in the way hitherto practiced by the Indians,
provided such Indians are not in the employment of other persons, and
provided that, when so hunting in canoes or undecked boats, they shall
not hunt fur seals outside of territorial waters under contract for the
delivery of the skins to any person.

This exemption shall not be construed to affect the municiiial law of
either country, nor shall it extend to the waters of Bering Sea or the
waters of the Aleutian Passes.

Nothing herein contained is intended to interfere with the employ-
ment of Indians as hunters or otherwise in connection with fur-sealing
vessels, as heretofore.

Article 9.

The concurrent regulations hereby determined with a view to the pro-
tection and preservation of the fur seals shall remain in force until they
have been in whole or in part abolished or modified by common agree-
ment between the Governments of the United States and of Great
Britain.

The said concurrent regulations shall be submitted every five years
to a new examination, so as to enable both interested Governments to
consider whether in the light of past experience there is occasion for
any modification thereof.

And whereas the Government of Her Britannic Majesty did submit
to the Tribunal of Arbitration by Article VIII of the said treaty cer-
tain questions of fact involved in the claims referred to in said Article
VIII, and did also submit to us, the said tribunal, a statement of the
said facts, as follows, that is to say:

FINDINGS OF FACT PROPOSED BY THE AGENT OF GREAT BRITAIN AND AGREED TO
AS PKOVKD BY THE AGENT FOR THE UNITED STATES AND SUBMITTED TO THE
TRIBUNAL OF ARBITRATION FOR ITS CONSIDERATION.

1. That the several searches and seizures, whether of ships or goods, and the sev-
eral arrests of masters and crews, respectively, mentioned in the schedule to the

ALASKA INDSUTRIES. 291

British caae, pages 1 to 60, inclusive, were made by the authority of the United
States Government. The questions as to the value of the said vessels or their con-
tents, or either of them, and the question as to whether the vessels mentioned in
the schedule to the British case, or any of them, were wholly or in part the actual
property of the citizens of the United States have been withdrawn from and havp
not been considered by the tribunal, it being understood that it is open to the United
States to raise these questions or any of them, if they think fit, in any future nego-
tiations as to the liability of the United States Government to pay the amounts
mentioned in the schedule of the British case.

2. That the seizures aforesaid, with the exception of the Patlifindtr, seized at Neah
Bay, were made in Bering Sea at the distances from shore mentioned in the schedule
annexed hereto, marked C.

3. That the said several searches and seizures of vessels were made by public armed
vessels of the United States, the commanders of which had, at the several times when
they were made, from the Executive Department of the Government of the United
States, instructions, a copy of one of which is annexed hereto, marked A, and that the
others were, in all substantial respects, the same; that in all the instances in which
proceedings were had in the district courts of the United States resulting in coude,m-
nation, such proceedings were begun by the filing of libels, a copy of one of which
is annexed hereto, marked B, and that the libels in the other proceedings were in all
substantial respects the same; that the alleged acts or oft'enses for which said several
searches and seizures were made in each case were done or committed in Bering Sea
at the distances from shore aforesaid ; and that in each case in which sentence of con-
demnation was passed, except in those cases when the vessels were released after
condemnation, the seizure was adopted by the Government of the United States;
and in those cases in which the vessels were released the seizure was made by the
authority of the United States ; that the said fines and imprisonments were for alleged
breaches of the municipal laws of the United States, which alleged breaches were
wholly committed in Bering Sea at the distances from the shore aforesaid.

4. That the several orders mentioned in the schedule annexed hereto and marked
G, warning vessels to leave or not to enter Bering Sea, were made by public armed
vessels of the United States, the commanders of which had, at the several times
when they were given, like instructions as mentioned in finding 3, and that the ves-
sels so warned were engaged in sealing or prosecuting voyages for that purpose, and
that such action was adopted by the Government of the United States.

5. That the district courts of the United States in which any proceedings were
had or taken for the purpose of condemning any vessel seized, as mentioned in the
schedule to the case of Great Britain, pages 1 to 60, inclusive, had all the jurisdic-
tion and powers of courts of admiralty, including the prize jurisdiction, but that in
each case the sentence pronounced by the court was based upon the grounds set
forth in the libel.

Annex A,

Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary,

Washington, Jpi-il 21, 1886.

Sir : Referring to Department letter of this date, directing you to proceed with the
revenue steamer Bear, under your command, to the seal islands, etc., you are hereby
clothed with full power to enforce the law contained in the provisions of section 1956
of the United States Revised Statutes, and directed to seize all vessels and arrest and
deliver to the proper authorities any or all persons whom you may detect violating
the law referred to, after due notice shall have been given.

You will also seize any liquors or firearms attempted to be introduced into the
country without proper permit, under the provisions of section 1955 of the Revised
Statutes, and the proclamation of the President dated February 4, 1870.
Respectfully, yours,

C. S. Fairchild, Acting Secretary,
Capt. M. A. Healy,

Commanding Bevenue Steamer Bear, San Francisco, Cal,

Annex B.

In the district court of the United States for the District of Alaska — August special

term, 1886.

To the Hon. Lafayette Dawson, Judge of said District Court:

The libel of information of M. D. Ball, attorney for the United States for the Dis-
trict of Alaska, who prosecutes on behalf of said United States, and being present

292

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

here in court in his proper person, in the name and on behalf of said United States,
against the schooner Thornton, her tackle, apparel, boats, cargo, and furniture, and
against all persons intervening for their interest therein, in a cause of forfeiture,
alleges and informs as follows:

That Charles A. Abbey, an oflScer in the Revenue-Marine Service of the United
States, and on special duty in the vraters of the District of Alaska, heretofore, to
wit, on the 1st day of /.ugust, 1886, witliin the limits of Alaska. Territory, aud in the
waters thereof, and within the civil and judicial District of Alaska, to wit, within
the waters of that portion of Bering Sea belonging to the said district, on waters
navigable from the sea by vessels of 10 or more tons burden, seized the ship or vessel
commonly called a schooner, the Thornton, her tackle, api:)arel, boats, cargo, and
furniture, being the property of some person or persons to the said attorney unknown,
as forfeited to the United States, for the following causes:

That the said vessel or schooner was found engaged in killing fur seal within the
limits of Alaska Territory, and in the waters thereof, in violation of section 1956 of
the Revised Statutes of the United States.

And tlie said attorney saith that all and singular the premises are and were true,
and within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of this court, and that by reason
thereof and by force of the statutes of the United States in such cases made and
provided, the aforementioned and described schooner or vessel, being a vessel of
over 20 tons burden, her tackle and ap])arel, boats, cargo, and furniture, became
forfeited to the use of the said United States, and that said schooner is now within
the district aforesaid.

Wherefore the said attorney prays the usual process and monition of this honor-
able court issue in this behalf, and that all persons interested in the before-mentioned
and described schooner or vessel may be cited in general and special to answer the
premises, and all due proceedings being had, that the said scljooner or vessel, her
tackle, apparel, boats, cargo, and furniture may, for the cause aforesaid, and others
appearing, be condemned by the definite sentence and decree of this honorable
court, as forfeited to the use of the said United States, according to the form of the
statute of the said United States in such cases made and provided.

M. D. Ball,
United States District Attorney for the District of Alaska.

Annex C.

The following table shows the names of the British sealing vessels seized or warned
by the United States revenue cruisers, 1886-1890, and the approximate distance from
land when seized. The distances assigned in the cases of tlie Carolena, Thornton, and
Onward are on the authority of the United States Naval Commander Abbey (see
Senate Ex. Doc, No. 106, pp. 20, 30, 40, Fiftieth Congress, second session). The dis-
tances assigned in the cases of the Anna Beck, W. P. Sai/ivard, Dol2)hin, and Grace are
on the authority of Captain Shepard, United States Revenue Marine (Blue Book,
United States, No. 2, 1890, pp. 80-82. See Appendix, Vol. HI).

Name of vessel.

Carolena..
Thornton .
Onward...
Favourite.

Anna Beck

"W. P. Say ward.

Dolphin

Grace

Alfred Adania .

Ada

Triumph

Juanita

Pathfinder

Triumph

Black Diamond .
Lily

Ariel

Kate

Minnie

Pathfinder

Date
of seizure.

Aug. 1,1886

...do:

Aug. 2,1886
do

July
July
July
July
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
July
July
July

2, 1887
9, 1887
12, K87
17, 1887
10, 1887
25, 1887
4, 1887
31, 1889
29, 1889
11, 1889

do

Aug. 6,1889
July 30, 1889
Aug. 13, 1889
July 15, 1889
Mar. 27, 1890

Approximate distance from land when seized.

75 milea

70 m ilea

1 1 5 milea

Warned by Corwin in abmit .same position as

Onward.

66 miles

59 miles

40 miles

96 miles

62 miles

15 miles

Warned by Rush not to enter Bering Sea

66 miles

50 miles

Ordered out of Bering Sea by Eush. (?) As

to position when warned.

35 miles

66 milea

Ordeied out of Bering Sea by Rush

do

65 miles

Seized in Keah Bay. (?)

United States

vessel making

seizures.

Corwin.
Do.
Do.

Rush.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.
Bear.

Rush.
Do.

Do.
Do.

Do

Corwm

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 293

And whereas the Government of Her Britannic Majesty did ask the
said arbitrators to find the said facts as set forth in the said statement,
and whereas the aj;eiit and connsel for the United States Government
thereupon in our presence informed us thai the said statement of facts
was sustained by the evidence, and that they had agreed with the agent
and counsel for Her Britannic Majesty that we, the arbitrators, if we
should think fit so to do, might find the said statement of facts to be
true :

Now we, the said arbitrators, do unanimously find the facts as set
forth in the said statement to be true.

And whereas each and every question which has been considered by
the tribunal has been determined by a majority of all the arbitrators:

Now we. Baron de Courcel, Lord Hanuen, Mr. Justice Harlan, Sir
John Thompson, Senator Morgan, the Marquis Visconti Venosta, and
Mr. Gregers Gram, the respective minorities not withdrawing their
votes, do declare this to be the final decision and award in writing of
this tribunal in accordance with the treaty.

Made in duplicate at Paris and signed by us the 15th day of August,
in the year 1893.

And we do certify this English version thereof to be true and accurate.

(Bering Sea Arbitration. Indexes to the British case, p. 19.)

DECLARATIONS MADE BY THE TRIBUNAL OF ARBITEATION AND REFERRED TO

THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN FOR THEIR

CONSIDERATION.

[English version.]

I.

The arbitrators declare that the concurrent regulations, as determined
upon by the Tribunal of Arbitration, by virtue of Article YII of the
treaty of the 29th of February, 1892, being applicable to the high sea
only, should, in their opinion, be supplemented by other regulations
applicable within the limits of the sovereignty of each of the two i^owers
interested and to be settled by their common agreement.

n.

In view of the critical condition to which it appears certain that the
race of fur seals is now reduced in consequence of circumstances not
fully known, the arbitrators think fit to recommend both Governments
to come to an understanding in order to prohibit any killing of fur seals,
either on land or at sea, for a period of two or three years, or at least
one year, subject to such exceptions as the two Governments might
think proper to admit of.

Such a measure might be recurred to at occasional intervals, if found
beneficial.

III.

The arbitrators declare moreover that, in their opinion, the carrying
out of the regulations determined upon by the Tribunal of Arbitration
should be assured by a system of stipulations and measures to be
enacted by the two powers; and that the tribunal must, in consequence,
leave it to the two powers to decide upon the means for giving effect to
the regulations determined upon by it.

We do certify this English version to be true and accurate, and have
signed the same at Paris thi^^ 15th day of August, 1893.

(Bering Sea Arbitration. Indexes to the British case, p. 3.)

2y

4

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Vessels composing the Canadian sealing fleet for 1894,

1.

Arctic.

21.

Geneva.

41.

Pioneer.

2.

Ainak.

22.

Henrietta.

42.

Rosie Olsen,

3.

Aurora.

23.

Kate.

43.

Shelby.

4.

Anuie C. Moore.

24.

Kilmeny.

44.

San Jose.

5.

Agnes McDonald..

25.

Katherine.

45.

Sapphire.

6.

Arietas.

26.

C. D. Rand.

46.

Saucy Lass.

7.

Annie E. Paint.

27.

Libbie.

47.

Sadie Turpel.

8.

Brenda.

28.

Labrador.

48.

Theresa.

9.

Beatrice.

29.

Louis Adair.

49.

Triumph.

10.

Borealis.

30.

Minnie.

50.

Umbrina.

11.

G. G. Cox.

31.

May BeU.

51.

Viva.

12.

Cosco.

.32.

Maud S.

52.

Vera.

13.

Charlotte.

33.

Mary Taylor.

53.

Venture.

14.

City of San Diego.

34.

Mascot.

54.

W. B. Hall.

15.

Dora Siewavd.

35.

Mary Ellen.

55.

W. P. Sayward.

16.

Diana.

36.

Mermaid.

56.

Wanderer.

17.

E. B. Maroin.

37.

Otto.

57.

Walter L. Rich.

18.

Enterprise.

38.

Ocean Bell.

58.

W. A. Earle.

19.

Fawn.

39.

Osca and Hattie.

59.

Favorite.

20.

Florence M. Smith.

40.

Penelope.

Vessels composing the American sealing fleet for 1894.

1.

Alton.

18.

Henry Dennis.

35.

Rosie Snarks.

2.

Alexander,

19.

Herman.

36.

St. Paul.

3.

Anaconda.

20.

Ada Etta.

37.

Sophia Sutherland

4.

Anna Matilda.

21.

Jane Grey.

38.

San Diesjo.

5.

Allie I. Alger.

22.

Kate and Ann.

39.

Stella Erland.

6.

Bonanza.

23.

Louis D.

40.

Teresa.

7.

Bowhead.

24.

Louis Olsen.

41.

Volunteer.

8.

G. G, White.

25.

Lillie L.

42.

Willard Ainsworth

9.

Emma and Louisa.

26.

Josephine.

43.

Winr-hester.

10.

P^nima.

27.

Mary H. Thomas.

44.

Aniature.

11.

Eppinger.

28.

Mascot.

45.

Columbia.

12.

Edward E. Webster.

29.

Mattie T. Dyer.

46.

C. C. Perkins.

13.

Ella Johnson.

30.

Mathew Turner.

47.

Deeahks.

14.

Ethel.

31-

Penelope.

48.

Dart.

15.

Geo. Peabody.

32.

Prescott.

49.

Felitz.

16.

Geo. R. White.

33.

Retriev^er.

50.

James G. Swan.

17.

H. C. Wahlberg.

34.

Rattler.

51.

Puritan.

MANAGETVEENT OF ROOKERIES — DECREASE OF SEALS.

Seal Islands, Alaska, July 16, 1889.

Gentlemen : I regret to report that the season's seal catch is pro-
gressing very unfavorably, and that the condition of the breeding rook-
eries, already past the date of fullest occupation for the year, indicates
a large falling off in productiveness — much greater, in fact, than I have
heretofore reported.

During the period from 1873 to 1883, as my reports from year to year
will sho^v, we experienced no difficulty in obtaining the full catch of
seals early in the season, and the skins were all of the best marketable
size and quality, for we had at that time a large surplus of killable
animals from which to make our selection. It was customary during
that period to secure in the month of June nearly one-half of our
catch, all of the primest and best, and at the same time turn back to
the rookeries for breeding animals, or as being undesirable for market,
a very large percentage, averaging for the ten years in question per-
haps 30 per cent of the whole number driven. In July in each of those
years the percentage of rejected animals was still larger, amounting
h om 50 to 80 per cent of the number driven ; but of those a large major-

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 295

ity were under size for killing and required the additional year's growtli
that we were enabled by the very abundant supply of seals to give
them.. We could confidently count on their return the next season in
prime condition.

The season's work for a catch of 100,000 skins was then finished from
the 14th to the 20th of July, determined by our ability to do the work
and not by the condition of the hauling grounds, for we had always
seals enough in sight after the 10th of June, and sometimes even earlier,
to keep our force fully occupied.

The breeding rookeries, from the beginning of the lease till 1882 or
1883, were, I believe, constantly increasing in area and population, and
my observations in this direction are in accordance with those of Mr.
Morgan, Mr. Webster, and others who have been for many years with
me in your service, and of the late Special Treasury Agent J. M. Mor-
ton, who was on the islands from 1870 to 1880. Even as late as 1885
Special Treasury Agent Tingle reported a further increase of breeding
seals, but his estimates were made in comparison with those of Prof.
H. W. Elliott in 1872-73, and he was probably not fully aware of the
fact that the increase had occurred prior to 1883, and that in 1885 there
was already perhaps a slight diminution of breeders.

The contrast between the present condition of seal life and that of
the first decade of the lease is so marked that the most inexpert can
not fail to notice it. Just when the change commenced I am unable
from personal observ^ation to say, for, as you will remember, I was in
ill health and unable to visit the islands in 1883, 1884, and 1885. I left
the rookeries in 1882 in their fullest and best condition, and found them
in 1886 already showing a slight falhng off, and experienced that year
for the first time some difSculty in securing just the class of animals
in every case that we desired. We, however, obtained the full catch in
that and the two following years, finishing the work from the 24th of
June to the 7th of July, but were obliged, particularly in 1888, to con-
tent ourselves with much smaller seals than we had heretofore taken.
This was in part due to the necessity for turning back to the rookeries
many half-grown bulls, owing to the scarcity of breeding males. I
should have been glad to have ordered them killed instead, but, under
your instructions to see that the best interests of the rookeries were
conserved, thought best to reject them. The result of killing from year
to year a large and increasing number of small animals is very appar-
ent. We are simply drawing in advance on the stock that should be
kept over for another year's growth, reserving as far as possible, of
course, all desirable half-grown bulls for breeders, but at the same time
killing closer, I believe, than a wise policy would indicate.

The deduction need hardly be drawn, as it is only too apparent that
the lessees, for the next two or three years at least, must, in any event,
if the rookeries are to be stocked up to their best condition, be content
with very small catches. I estimate that not more than 15,000 or 20,000
desirable skins can be obtained next year, and it is possible that taking
even a much smaller number would sooner restore the rookeries to their
former vitality.

The change in the breeding rookeries, though not so immediately
alarming as that observed in the hauling grounds, owing to the large
number of seals still in sight, is sufficiently marked to.excite curious
inquiry as to its cause. Large patches of ground on the outskirts of
every rookery, which were covered with breeding seals and their young
a few years ago, are now bare; the lanes and paths across the rookeries,
along which the nonbreediug seals pass to and from their grouuds, are

296 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

growing wider, and what is still more disturbing to the experienced
seal hunter there is a very noticeable sparseiiess of population, both
male and female, on every rookery. I should certainly be wi thin bounds
in stating that at least one-third less seals landed on the islands this
year than ten years ago.

You will remark that I have, at the beginning of this statement,
referred back for comparison only to 1873. Prior to that time we were
suffering from the excessive Idlling of 18G8, when, in the absence of any
restriction, more than 200,000 seals were killed in a single year. The
deficiency of male breeding seals, caused by this excess, continued for
four or five years, and is referred to by Special Treasury Agent Bryant
iu his report to the Departjneut under date of September 5, 1872. I
allude to this only for the purpose of calling attention to the fact that
any improper handling of the seal industry is immediately followed by
marked results.

For the cause of the present diminution of seal life we have not far
to look. It is directly traceable to the illicit killing of seals of every
age and sex during the last few years in the waters of the North Pacific
and Bering Sea. We are in no way responsible for it. During the first
thirteen years of the lease comparatively few seals were killed by
marauders, and we were then able not only to make good the deficiency
caused by the slanghter of 1868, but, under our careful management, to
produce a decided expansion of the breeding rookeries.

The history of fur-seal killing on the British Columbia coast would,
no doubt, carry us back to an earlier date than the transfer of Alaska
to the United States, but it was done mostly up to 1875 by the use of
rude appliances, and the hunters were unable to pursue their vocation,
to any great extent, on the open sea. About 1875-70, under the stim-
ulus of better prices for skins, induced by the improved methdds applied
by us to the fur markets of the world, it was found profitable to fit out
more expensive ventures from Victoria, and the seals were followed
along the British Columbia and United States coasts as far north as
Sitka; but prior to 1882-83 it had not come to the knowledge of the
hunters that their work could be profitably pursued farther to the
northwestward. The catch was too small up to this time to seriously
afi'ect seal life. An occasional predatory schooner came into Bering Sea
before 1882, and the San Biego, with her cargo, was seized in 1876 and
condemned to forleiture under section 1956 of the United States laws.
In one or two other cases certificates of probable cause of seizure were
issued by the courts to the revenue officers, thus affirming the illegal-
ity of killing seals in Alaskan waters.

"About 1882-83 the British seal hunters discovered that profitable
voyages could be made to Bering Sea, and the few vessels engaged in
those years were soon joined by others, until, in 1885, a fieet of twelve
or fifteen schooners, some of them propelled by steam, were engaged in
the business, and the catch sent into Victoria amounted to about 25,000
skins. The fleet sent more than 40,000 skins to market in the following
year. More stringent orders were, however, issued to our revenue ves-
sels, and three of the twenty or more engaged in that year were seized
and still lie rotting on the beach in Unalaska Harbor. In 1887 a
still larger fleet appeared, but was badly demoralized before the end of
the season by the capture of fourteen of the vessels and the confiscation
and sale of a large part of them, together with a large number of skins;
in all, some 12,000, I think. Had this repressive policy of the Govern-
ment been firmly adhered to from that time we should probably be little
troubled with marauders this year; but pending negotiations with for

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 297

eign powers sealed orders to be opened in Bering Sea were given to
the revenue officers, directing them not to make seizures, and while
these orders were withheld from American hunters they appear to have
been published to the British fleet, for the usual number of British ves-
sels made a profitable season's cruise, sending into market more than
19,000 skins; at the same time our American vessels were deterred by
the tone of the i^ublished regulations of our Government from under-
taking their usual voyages.

The operations of the marauders in the North Pacific and Bering Sea
beyond the jurisdiction of British Columbia, and exclusive of what is
known as the " Victoria catch " proper, may be summarized, not with
absolute accuracy, but correctly enough for all practical purposes, about
as follows:

1883, 1,000, and 1884, 5,000 skins, estimated without reliable data at
hand; 1885, 12,000; 1886, 27,500; 1887, 25,000; and 1888, 19,000 skins
reported by Messrs. 0. M. Lampson & Co., of London ; 1889, 10,761 skins
to August 1, landed at Victoria, British Columbia.

Add to this the Victoria catch for the same seven years, which has
averaged about 12,000 skins per annum — 84,000 — and we have a total
of 184,261 skins sent to market in less than seven years. To represent
the destruction of seal life, this number should be nearly doubled to
include the loss of one young seal in embryo or left to starve upon the
islands for nearly every adult killed; and again doubled, perhaps, to
compensate for the unknown factor of waste in killing. Just what pro-
portion of seals killed are actually secured we do not know, but we are
confident that the loss of dead seals in the rough water of the open sea,
and the wounding and subsequent death of many more, is a large i)er-
centage of those taken. Beyond this, we must also take into the
account the demoralization of the herd, the infraction of their steady
migratory habits and their possible deviation from their accustomed
haunts, and the consequent destruction of the industry within our
borders if indiscriminate slaughter is continued. I append a list of
vessels reported engaged in sealiug the present season.

I have at hand data from this year only on which to base an estimate
of the respective numbers of seals killed in the waters of the North
Pacific and Bering Sea. It appears that during the present season at
least 5,201 skins, exclusive of the catch of the American vessels, were
taken after the sealers left the Straits of Fuca and before they passed
the Alaskan peninsula, for that number were transsliipped to the British
schooner Wanderer at Sand Point and sent back to Victoria to avoid
possible capture by our revenue vessels. The British schooners Path-
finder, Viva, and Sapphire landed in Victoria their spring catches,
amounting to 1,719 skins, early in June, and again sent down by the
Wanderer 2,039 skins about the middle of July. This latter number
must have been captured in the Pacific in less than six weeks, and
many of them among the Shumagin Islands and ah)ng the coast to the
westward of Kodiak, clearly within American waters.

Attention should also be directed to the fact that by preconcerted
action all the British vessels rendezvoused at Sand Point, Ounga Island,
Alaska, where there is neither port of entry nor customs officer sta-
tioned, and there, in utter disregard of customs law or international
right, transshipped cargo, received supplies brought from a foreign
port, and landed and sold whisky to the Alaska natives.

Until the present season we have been under the impression that the
catching of seals in the waters of the North Pacific would be difficult
and unprofitable, and that seal life could be i)reserved by maintaining

298 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the closure of Bering Sea. Now, however, it seems doubtful whether
it will not be necessary to extend protection over the waters of the
North Pacific.

Of course it will be asked if this can be legally effected; I see no
obstacle in the way of doing it. We would have no difficulty whatever
in proving to the satisfaction of any fair-minded nation that all the
seals in the eastern part of the North Pacific and Bering Sea are born
and reared on the Pribilof Islands, and those in the western part of
the same waters have their habitat on the Commander Islands; nor do
they resort for breeding to any other than these two places in the North-
ern Hemisijhere, excepting only the very small number found on Rob-
beii Island in the Okhotsk Sea. They can be positively identified as
our property. The seals found in these respective places differ so much
tliat expert skin assorters can distinguish between them in handling
the skins; and, in any event, this matter concerns only the United
States and Russia. When the seals on which the British are now poach-
ing are found in the Pacific they are simply astray; but are, neverthe-
less, either our property or that of Russia, and should be respected and
protected as such.

After twenty-one years of careful study of the subject, I am entirely
satisfied that the usual migratory course of the seals leads them to the
southward from the Pribilof Islands, mostly through the passes into
the Pacific, to the eastward of and including the pass of longitude 172°
west; thence they turn to the eastward along the Aleutian Archipelago,
through the Shumagin group, and past Kodiak, to appear in February
and March down about Vancouver Island and in the straits and chan-
nels to the northward and eastward of Vancouver, where large numbers
are an nually killed in the early spring months. The more notable proofs
of this are:

(1) That many young seals are killed in November, December, and
January by the Alaskans among the Aleutian Islands, and more could
and would be taken if the natives were not restrained by our agents
from hunting them.

(15) Fur seals are fish eaters and naturally keep upon such banks and
shoals, within easy soundings, as furnish them an abundant food supply.

(3) They are rarely seen in the waters of the North Pacific at any
considerable distance from soundings, but are plentiful along the Alas-
kan coast during all the winter months.

(4) A large proportion of the several thousand seals killed annually
about the British Columbia coast in March and April are pregnant
females in just that stage of gestation that would be expected in ani-
mals whose period of eleven months terminates in June.

(5) Almost simultaneously with their disappearance from the British
Columbia coast in April they are again found in increasing numbers in
the Aleutian Archipelago and, a little later, in Bering Sea.

(6) The most careful search for other breeding grounds than those at
the Pribilof Islands has been fruitless. It can be positively asserted
that none exist.

The best season for marauding in Bering Sea is the latter part of
July and August, for the female seals, having left their young on the
islands, are then off on the feeding grounds to the southward, and tiie
destruction of the mother at this time is followed by the loss of the pu]),
which dies for want of nourishment. This was vividly illustrated in
the lieavy storms of last fall, when several thousand pups, too weak and
feeble to withstand their violence, were thrown upon the beaches and
killed. In the earlier years of the lease no such destruction of the young
was observed during the autumn storms as we have lately witnessed.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 299

The greater part of the illegal killing is done with firearms, but some
of the vessels manned by Indians, and notably the Black Diamond,
seized this summer, are fitted only with spears, and these, skillfully
handled, are even more effective than guns, as they can be used with-
out alarming the neighboring seals. The crew of the Blaclc Diamond
secured 1-43 skins in less than two days preceding her capture. It is
also regarded by old hunters as quite feasible to catch them still more
rapidly and surely by the use of seines and purse nets, though I am
not aware the attempt has as yet been made.

The efiect of this extensive and indiscriminate slaughter I h«ive
aheady pointed out. If unrestricted killing is to be continued we have
no occasion to inquire in regard to any further franchise. The renewal
of the lease would hardly be worth taking as a gift, and with the assur-
ance of fullest protection against marauders and poachers, the fact
should not be lost sight of that under the most intelligent management
some years must elapse before the rookeries can be restored to their
former productiveness. The protection, too, must extend beyond Ber-
ing Sea and over the Korth Pacific to insure perpetuation of the indus-
try; and ought, indeed, in order to make it complete, to include all the
waters along the British Columbia coast, for even the comparatively
small number killed there is no inconsiderable item to the lessees in the
present status of the rookeries.

Different plans for the preservation of the seals are suggested:

1. It is certainly in the interest of the whole world, excepting a few
Canadian seal hunters, that the seals should be propagated and killed
under proper restrictions. This is particularly true for the English, for
they have more capital invested in the business and more people
dependent upon the seal industry than any other nation. If, therefore,
a territorial limit can be defined beyond which no seals shall be killed
in the water, such limit being agreed upon by convention with England
and Russia, and acquiesced in by the powers that have nothing at
stake in the matter, protection will be aftbrded to such an extent as the
limit proves restrictive. My own idea is that it should cover all the
aquatic resorts of the seals, but if it be decided that British Columbia
hunters are right in killing seals in British Columbia waters, then the
limits might be defined, say, by restricting their operations to the east-
ward of longitude 153° west from Greenwich, to the southward of lati-
tude 54° north, and to the northward of Cape Flattery. If at the
same time restrictions are needed for the protection of Eussian inter-
ests in the Northwestern Pacific, similar limitations, as the facts may
indicate, may be marked out and seal life respected at all points beyond
such limits.

2. If restriction by territorial limitation is likely to be difficult to
enforce, or if for any other reason it appears objectionable, a close season
could be agreed upon by convention within which no seals should be
killed in the water. Such season should begin, if it be determined to
allow seals to be killed in British Columbia waters, at about the time
when the seals leave the vicinity of Vancouver Island in the spring and
continue until the next winter, say about the middle of May until about
the 1st of February.

3. To facilitate the enforcement of the regulation, both the territorial
limitation and close season might be adopted. The vast extent of
water to be patrolled, and the eagerness with which the seals are pur-
sued, make it necessary to throw every possible safeguard around them
if they are to be preserved.

It would unquestionably be unwise, from a financial point of view, on

300 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the part of any of the nations interested, to allow pregnant female seals
(and scarcely any other are taken there) to be killed on the British
Columbia coast; but, if something must be conceded to the poachers,
perhaps the opportunity to pursue their destructive occupation along
this coast is the least that will reasonably content them.

In the present status of the seal fishery the value of a renewal of the
franchise for another term of twenty years is very difficult to estimate.
The outlook for the next three or four years is decidedly bad. The
chief elements of uncertainty are:

(1) Doubt as to the intention of our Government in regard to pro-
tecting the fisheries against poachers.

(2) Question whether, in case a restrictive policy is decided upon, the
Government will be able to successfully patrol the broad extent over
which the seals are scattered. A failure to ])rotect them without fur-
ther delay will be fatal to any considerable catch on the islands.

(3) The fact that the rookeries are already badly depleted, and that
all the best seals, for the next two or three years at least, must be
reserved for breeders.

(4) The positive knowledge that the seals that would otherwise come
forward for killing during the next two years have already been slaugh-
tered, and that the catch must for several years to come be much
smaller than heretofore.

I was of opinion two years ago that the next twenty years' lease
could be more valuable than the present term, but am now greatly in
doubt whether we can afford to pay as much as the present rental, even
with a guaranty from the Government of entire protection outside of
British Columbia waters. Vv^ithout such guaranty there is "nothing in
it" beyond a small prospective catch from such animals as may escape
the toils of the hunter this summer. At the present rate of diminution
the rookeries will soon do little more than support the natives dependent
on them and pay the expenses of the necessary outfit to follow the
business.

Very truly, yours, H. H. McIntyre,

Superintendent.
The Alaska Commercial Company,

8a7i Francisco, Cal.

CAUSES OP DECREASE IN SEAL HERD.

West Randolph, Vt., December 15, 1890.

My Dear Sir : I have at hand extracts from the report of Prof. H.
W. Elliott to the Secretary of the Treasury in the fall of 1890, relative
to the decrease of the seal rookeries of St. Paul and St. George islands,
Alaska; and knowing that you take a deep interest in the matter, beg
to call your attention to a few conspicuous errors into which he has
fallen.

He asks, " Why is it that we find now only a scant tenth of the num-
ber of young male seals which I saw there in 1872? When did this
workof decrease and destruction so marked on the breeding grounds
begin? And how? " He answers these questions as follows:

(1) From overdriviug, without heeding its warning, first began in 1879, dropped
then until 1882, then suddenly renewed again with increased energy from year to
year, until the end is abruptly reached, this season of 1890.

(2) From the shooting of fur seals (chiefly iemales) in the open waters of the North
Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, begun as a business in 1886, and continued to date.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 301

Professor Elliott is a uaturalist, and a very good one. He is thor-
oughly familiar v*^ith the size, form, color, comparative anatomy, domes-
tic habits, and whatever goes to make up the natural history of the
seal. He is tolerably familiar with the seal as viewed from the Imnter
or business man's standpoint. He is also fairly capable of deducing from
given facts a theory in regard to the increase or decrease of the seal.
Given correct premises, he would perhaps come as near the truth in
his deduction as the average observer. But when his premises are
wrong, his deductions are more mischievous than those of the average
man, because he asseverates his findings with such positiveness, and
such an air of knowing all about it, as to carry the investigator along
with him to the pitfalls digged by theory from wrong hypotheses.

He says, in brief, that there was overdriving in 1879, none in the two
following years, beginning again in 1882 and continuing ''until the end
is abruptly reached in the season of 1890." As he writes forcibly in
the san:e connection against the practice of driving the long distance
from Southwest Bay (Zapadnie) to the village killing ground — about 4
miles — pointing out most disastrous effects from this practice, I suppose
he means by "overdriving" the driving too great distance. If this is
it I quite agree with him, and always have, and for that reason, except
on very rare occasions, did not allow seals to be driven the long dis-
tances he describes, and it has never been habitually done. Boats were
almost invariably sent to Southwest Bay and carts to Halfway Point
to bring in the skins, and the animals were as invariably killed, dur-
ing the last ten years of the Alaska Commercial Company's lease, as
near the rookeries as seemed prudent. The windmill he fights through
several paragraphs of alleged "reasons" is less worthy of attack than
Don Quixote's. It exists only in his imagination.

Then, the end was not "abruptly reached." I repeatedly pointed out
to our company and to the special Treasury agents, during the seasons
of 1887, 1888, and 1889, that the seals were rapidly diminishing, and
that in order to get the lull quota allowed by law we were obliged to
kill, in increasing numbers in each of those years, animals that should
have been allowed to attain greater size; and, finally, the catch of 1889
was mostly of this class. If they had been contented with the same
class in 1890 a much larger catch could have been obtained.

Again he is in error in saying that marauding in Bering Sea began
in 1880. It commenced in 1884 with a catch of 4,000 skins, and was
followed with a take of almost 10,000 in 1885.

This brings us to the second reason given by him for the decrease, to
wit, "the shooting of seals (mostly females) in the open waters of the
North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea." And here he strikes the key
note of what should have been his warning, but he strikes it so flat as
to throw his chorus quite out of tune; but he was not there present on
the islands during any of those .six years of active poaching prior to
the season just past, nor, in iact, for several years previous to those six
years, and does not know what he is talking about. His second "reason"
should have been his first, and I assert most positively, with knowledge
drawn from an accurate personal cognizance of the fa(;ts, that the dimi-
nution of the seal was exactly coincident in the time of the decrease,
and in its ratio from year to year, with the time and extent of the pirat-
ical marauding of the Canadian and American vessels in the waters of
Bering Sea, and prior to the beginning of such marauding was not
perceptible and did not exist.

I regret that Professor Elliott did not urge this one true reason with
all the strong force of which he is capable, because it is fully time that

302 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the serious import to the seal fisheries of further poaching was under-
stood by our Government, premising always that it is really in earnest
about what it is doing to i)reserve the fisheries, which, indeed, I find
myself already doubting.

I am, very truly, yours,

H. H. MgIntyke.
Gen. K. L. Jeffries,

Washington, D. G.

letter feom secretary of treasury transmitting elliott's
report to state department.

Treasury Department,

Office of the Secretary,
Washington, D. C, February 23, 1893.

Sir: In compliance with the request contained in your communica-
tion of February 11, I have the honor to transmit herewith a certified
copy (together with the lihotographic reproductions of the illustrations
and maps) of the report of E. W. Elliott on the Pribilof Islands for
1890. The original of this report will be placed in the custody of
Special Agent W. H. Williams for such use as you may find necessary.

In handing you this report I deem it my duty to acquaint you with
certain facts in connection with my refusal to permit its publication.

Upon its examination I became coiivin(;ed that it was pervaded hy a
spirit of aggressive criticism instead of being a dispassionate statement
of facts; that Mr. Elliott's views had been unduly influenced by his
relations toward certain individuals; that the report contained much
matter, and particularly that referring to the fur seal, which had already
been i)ublished by the Government in two forms at least; that the illus-
trations being made from sketches possessed inherent defects which
rendered them valueless as records of the diminution or growth of the
rookeries, while the scale of the rookery charts was too small to accu-
rately indicate the condition of seal life at the time these observations
were made.

I therefore declined to permit Mr. Elliott's return to the islands, and
deemed it expedient to withhold publication of his report pending the
sending of other officers to the islands for the verification of his state-
ments and for the procuring of data on a systematic plan, aided by
photography.

On further examining Mr. Elliott's report in the light of this addi-
tional information and comparing his statements with the island records
now on file in this Department, I find that not only do the objections
against the report cited above still hold good, but that Mr. Elliott has
so used extracts from the records of the islands as to make them ap])ear
to substantiate his assertions that mismanagement on the part of the
United States has played an important part in the diminution of seal
life, which assertions are unsupported by the unabridged records. In
view of its inaccuracies, its misleading character, and its disagreement
with the information brought to me independently by at least three
other officers whom I sent to the islands, and the further grave fact of
the misuse of official data by Mr. Elliott, I do not believe that the
Government would be justified in publishing this report.
Yery respectfully,

Charles Foster, Secretary.

Hon. John W. Foster,

Secretary of State.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 303

MR. PHELP'S ARGUMENT BEFORE PARIS TRIBUNAL.

I.

On April 4, 1893, Mr. Phelps made to the Tribunal the following
statement in regard to Mr. Elliott's report of 1890:

This paper waa produced and furnished to the British commissioners during their
session at Washington and remained in their possession as long as they cared to keep
it. It will thus be seen that there has been no disposition on the part of the United
States Government to withhold or to conceal this document.

n.

The report is of little value as an authority and quite as likely to
mislead as to guide. The author is utterly untrustworthy as an
observer.

(1) His field notes show this on their face: A field note should be a
bare and clear and uncolored record of facts observed. These are a
record not only of facts, but of conjectures, opinions, predictions,
reflections, emotions, etc.

An observer should be severely objective. Elliott is always sub-
jective. It is his own conjectures and reasonings which he is most
concerned with. A perusal of pages 236 and 237 (entry of July 10) will
afford amusing proof of this.

(2) It is the misfortune of Mr. Elliott and of those who rely upon
him that he has written at different times on the subject of fur seals,
and his representations of the facts at these different times vary
in some cases according to the theories which he was interested to
establish.

Thus, in 1872-1874, he observed that a certain detached rock or islet
was then covered with the forms of fur seals; but in 1890, writing with
the purpose of showing that injurious redriving was practiced, he repre-
sents that the presence of seals at this place was a wholly recent
X)henomenon, occasioned by a too severe working of the neighboring
sealing grounds.

(3) His assertions of important matters of fact are shown to be errone-
ous by evidence far better than his. For instance, in his report for
1890 he represents certain places which on his earlier visits he found
abounding in young seals to be absolutely destitute of them, whereas
it is proved by the records of the islands that at those very times young
seals were driven and killed from those same places.

Thus he writes July 19, 1890: "Not a single holluschak on Zoltoi
Sands this morning and not one had hauled there this season." The
official records for 1890 (British case, Appendix, Vol. Ill, United States,
No. 2, 1890, pp. 16, 23) show: {a) That on that very day 3,956 seals
were driven from Zoltoi in connection with Reef rookeries, of which
number .556 were killed; (6) that a drive had already been made from
those same places June 24, on which occasion 426 seals were killed.

(4) Mr. Elliott appears to be guilty of great inaccuracy in quoting
statements which have been made to him. Thus he attributes to Daniel
Webster the following :

He says that ever since 1876-77 he has observed a steady shrinking of the hauling
grounds at Northeast Point.

In the United States case (Appendix, Vol. II, p. 181), Daniel Webster
makes, however, a sworn statement which is wholly at variance with the
above :

My observation has been that there was an expansion of the rookeries from 1870 up
to at least 1879. In the yeat 1880 I thought I began to notice a falling ofl' from the

304 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

year previous of the nnmber of seals on Northeast Point rookery, but this decrease
waa so very slight that probably it would not have been observed by one less familiar
with seal life and its conditions than I.

(5) As a reasoner lie is equally bad. He is dominated by a favorite
theory, and when this comes in collision with facts he can not yield the
former, and is consequently constrained to accommodate the latter to it.

(0) The counsel for Great Britain, in order to establisb credit for
Mr. Elliott as an authority, point to the circumstance that Mr. Blaine
referred to him with respect in his letter of March 1, 1890. Mr. Blaine
was, undoubtedly, as many others were upon the first appearance of Mr.
Elliott as a writer upon seals, under the impression that he was a trust-
worthy witness. But such was not, at that time, the view of those
representing the British Government.

In order to discredit Mr. Elliott as a theorist and reasoner, Mr. Tupper
cites, in a letter dated Marcli 8, 1890 (British case, Appendix, Vol, III,
United States, No. 2, 1890, p. 441), the following criticism made upon
Mr. Elliott by Mr. W. L. Morris in 1879:

This man seems to be the natural foe of Alaska, prosecuting and persecuting her
with the brush aud the pen of an expert whenever and wherever he can get an audi-
ence, and I attribute the present forlorn condition of the Territory more to his
ignorance and misrepresentation than to all other causes combined.

Mr. Tupper then goes on to say:

His evidence in 1888 is open advocacy of the United States contention. His writ-
ings and reports prior to the dispute will be referred to, and it will be submitted that
his statements aud experiences before 1888 hardly support his later theories.

(7) Dr. Dawson's (one of the British commissioners) estimate of Pro-
fessor Elliott in the fall of 1891 is thus told by Judge Swan (United
States counter case, p. 414), who quotes Dr. Dawson as follows:

Elliott's work on seals is amusing. I have no hesitation in saying that there is no
important point that he takes up in his book that he does not contradict somewhere
els&in the same covers. • • • His work is superficial in the extreme.

III.

The avowed purpose of Mr. Elliott in this report of 1890 is to show
that the Alaskan herd has been generally diminished in numbers and
to point out the causes of the diminution.

The only true cause of this decrease which can be gathered from any
facts stated by him is pelagic sealing; but he has a theory that there
is another cause, namely, overdriving and redriviug, which he assumes,
not only without proof, but against the proof, to have been practiced
to a considerable extent for a long period of time prior to 1890.

It is important to understand just what he means by overdriving and
redriving. He does not mean careless handling or undue urging of the
seals during any given drive, for he specially states that the drives
were and are very carefully made (infia, under fourth, 3).

What he does mean by his charges concerning overdriving is this:
That in the face of a diminishing number of seals it was still endeavored
to take 100,000 skins per annum, which necessitated, at a date as early
as 1884 to 1885, the following :

Driving from the rookery margins, where alone the young males were
found in these later years, with consequent disturbance to the breeding
seals.

The turning away from the killing grounds of an increasing number
of unkillable seals, which seals ran the risk of being several times
redriven in the same season.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

305

(6) "When did this scraping- of the rookery margins and overdriving
begiuf There is no evidence that either began prior to 1800. Elliott
failed to observe or record either between 1872 and 187(j. He advances
in his report of 1890 no evidence whatever on the subject, though he
alleges at a single place that the natives assured him " that they had
been driving seals in this method ever since 1885; had been obliged to
or go without seals."

This statement attributed to the natives is wholly uncorroborated,
nor does it appear in their examinations, which are given at pages 300
to 304; that it is in conliict with the evidence of Mr. Goft" will be shown
hereafter.

(c) Mr. Elliott thinks that the necessity which leads to overdriving,
namely, a scarcity of killable males, began to exhibit itself as early as
1879, and in proof of this he alleges that a hitherto untouched reserve
was then resorted to, namely, Zapadnie. Furthermore, he supposes
that this scarcity of killable seals, making redriving essentially neces-
sary, was decisively manifested in 1882 and continually thereafter by
the fact that a constant resort was from that time made to theretofore
"untouched sources of supply" (VI, VIII, IX). In this particular also
he is totally in error. No such supposed "untouched sources of supply"
then, or ever, existed. Zapadnie and Polavina are intended by him.
They had been systematically drawn upon fro«i the first. (Vol. II,
Appendix to United States case, pp. 117-127; United States counter
case, pp. 78, 79.)

Mr. Elliott's error in this respect is the more inexcusable, since the
otlBcial island records were at his disposal and appear to have been
examined by him. The following tables showing the drives that were
actually made from Zapadnie and Polavina are taken from the British
argument, page 103:

Tear.

1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
i87()
1877
1878
1879
1880

Southwest
Bay (ill-
eluding

Zapailuie).

Halfway-
Point
(Polavina).

Tear.

1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
18S7
1888
1889

Southwest
Bay (in-
cluding

Zapadnie).

Halfway

Point

(Polavina).

5

10
9
9
6

12
8
8
8

(In examining tables in the United States case, Appendix Vol. II,
pp. 117-127, it should be remembered that "Zapadnie" and "Southwest
Bay" are two names for the same place, and so also are "Polavina"
and "Halfway Point," the latter term being the English for Polavina.)

{(1) Upon this basis of utter misapi)rehension Elliott proceeds forth-
with to construct a theory, and his theory as far outruns his supjjosed
facts as those supposed facts do the truth. For he proceeds to assume
that the driving and redriving of seals have been gradually increasing
from year to year and very rapidlj'^ since 1884-85, that the process of
driving in any form renders those seals which are turned back from the
killing grounds worthless for rookery service, and that the work of
destruction thereby produced "set in from the beginning, twenty years
before 1890" (pp. 7 to 10).

(e) He introduces no proof that driving, overdriving, or redriving of
any sort ever injured the generative organs of a seal which was allowed

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 20

306 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

eventually to return to the water, save tlie following (see pp. 150, 203,
271), wliicli he has mistranslated from Veniaminof. But here, too, he
has led himself into error:

Elliott's translation {%). 208). Correct translation.

Nearly all the old ineu think and assert Nearly all the old travelers think and

that the seals which are spared every assert that sparing the seals for some

year, i. e., those which have not been years, i. e., not killing them for some

killed for several years, are truly of little years, does not contribute in the least to

use for breeding, lying about as if they their increase and only amounts to losing

were outcasts or disfranchised. them forever.

Veniaminof thus makes no reference whatever to driving, still less
does he refer to any supposed effects of driving upon the reproductive
powers of the seal.

It should be added that both the British commissioners and the
British Government have been misled by Elliott's erroneous translation.
(See British Commissioners' Eeport, sec. 712, and British counter case,
p. 263.)

(/) The notion that the mere driving of a seal even over rough ground
renders it impotent is in itself sufiiciently absurd, but it becomes still
more so when considered in connection with the following extract from
Mr. Elliott's field notes (p. 244) :

I have sat for hours at a time watching the seals come up and go down in ceaseless
files of hundreds and thousands, actually climbing up in places so steep that it was
all an agile mau could do to follow them safely.

{g) It follows from the above that so far as Elliott's report is relied
on to show considerable cause of injury to the herd, it fails entirely.
His belief upon this point was founded upon an utter mistake, assuming
that he did not wish to be misled. He never saw any redriving or
overdriving until 18!)0 (when it did exist); nor had any other witness
ever seen any worthy of notice previous to 1890.

The counsel for Great Britain, seeking for another evidence to prove
redriving, have recourse to the report of Mr. Goff for 1890. But he
disproves the assertion by distinctly contrasting the large numbers of
young seals turned back in 1890, with the small number theretofore
turned back. (British counter case, p. 265.)

{h) Eliminating this clear and manifest error from Elliott's report,
the latter proves, and alone proves the following : That in 1872-1874 the
herd was in a condition of full and abounding prosperity; that when he
next observed it in 1876, its condition was not perceptibly changed;
that in 1890, when he last observed it, it had become greatly diminished
in numbers, so as to make it difficult to obtain the quota of 100,000
without redriving.

And tliis is just what the United States have from the first maintained.

lY.

His melange of observations, reasonings, conjectures, predictions, and
criticisms, when scrutinized, will be found to support the positions of the
United States in nearly every particular, certainly in each of the fol-
lowing :

(1) That it is in the power of the United States and its lessees under
normal conditions to gather the whole annual increase of the seals
without dimini.shiug the normal numbers of the herd.

Page 69: The polygamous habit of this animal is such that, by its own volition, I
do not think that more than one male annually out of fifteen born is needed on the
breeding grounds in the future.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 307

Page 118 : In this admirably perfect method of nature are those seals which can be
properly killed -without injnry to the rookeries, selected and held aside by their own
volition, so that the natives can visit and take them without disturbing in the least
degree the entire quiet of the breeding grounds where the stock is perpetuated.

Pago 129: When the "hoUuschickie" are up on land they can be readily separated
into their several classes as to age by the color of their coats and size, when noted;
namely, the yearliugs, the 2, 3, 4, and 5 year old males.

(2) That tlie methods adopted on the Pribilof Islands were from the
first, according to his observations of 1872-1874, admirably adapted to
accomplish the gathering of the annual increase (pp. 71, 74).

(See also description of drive in the parts quoted from his report of
1874, pp. 122-128.)

(3) That the methods pursued in 1890 (with the single exception of
alleged redriving and overdriving, already noticed) were in all respects
as good as, and in some better than, those pursued in 1872 to 1874.

Page 269 : I should remark that the driving of the seals has been very carefully
done ; no extra rushing and smothering of the herd, as it was frequently done in 1872.
Mr. Golf began with a sharp admonition, and it has been scrupulously observed thus
far by the natives.

Page 283 : Yesterday afternoon I went back to Tolstoi over the seal road on which
the drive above tallied was made in the night and morning of the 7th instant; the
number of road "faiuts" or road skins was not large, which shows that the natives
had taken great care in driving these seals. This they have uniformly done thus far
(see also p. 129).

Mr. Elliott draws a bill (p. 217) for the restoration of the herd, but it
contains no designed improvement in the methods.

Elsewhere, however, he suggests the following; That no culling of
the herds be allowed, i. e., that every seal driven up be killed (p. 73),
and that no driving be allowed after July 20 (p. 179).

These are the sole improvements which even he has to suggest.

(4) That according to his observations of 1872-1874 and 1876 the
herd could safely support a draft far larger than 100,000, probably as
large as 180,000 annually (p. 09).

(He was first on the islands during the three years 1872 to 1874.
This report, written in 1890, represents the herd in 1874 as being in a
flourishing condition. He was again on the islands in 1876. He does
not intimate anywhere in this report of 1890 that the condition of 1876
was not in all respects as good as that of 1872, 1873, and 1874.)

(5) That female seals should never be killed.

Page 74 : We do not touch or disturb these females as they grow up and live, and
we never will if the law and present management is continued.

Page 213 : In 1835, for the first time in the history of this industry on these islands,
was the vital principal of not killing female seals recognized.

(6) That pelagic sealing is essentially destructive in its nature, and
that at least 85 pev cent of the pelagic catch is composed of females.

Page IX: I could figure out from the known number of skins which these hunters
had placed on the market a statement of the loss and damage to the rookeries, to
the females and yoviug born and unborn, for that is the class from which the poacher
secures at least 85 of the 100 of his catch.

Page 13 : The young male seals have been directly between the drive, club, and
poacher since 1882, while the females have had but one direct attack outside of the
natural causes. They have been, however, the chief quarry of the pelagic sealer
during the last five years.

(7) That the loss through the wounding and sinking of seals is
enormous.

Page 214 : Five thousand female seals, heavy with their young, are killed in order
to secure every 1,000 skins taken. (See also p. 85, footnote.)

(8) That it is an absolute necessity that pelagic sealing should be
suppressed on the ground that it is an immoral pursuit, and one which

308 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

is "repugnant to the sense of decency and simplest instincts of true
manliood." He makes the following recommendation (see p. 214):

That pelagic sealing in the waters of Bering Sea be prohibited and suppressed
throughout the breeding season, no matter how, so that it is done, and done quickly.

This step is equilly imperative. The immorality of that demand made by the
open-water sealer to ruin within a few short years and destroy forever these fur-
bearing interests on the Pribilof Islands — the immorality of this demand can not be
glossed over by any sophistry. The idea of permitting such a chase to continue
where .5,000 females, heavy with their unborn young, are killed in order to secure
every 1,000 skins taken, is repugnant to the sense of decency and the simplest
instincts of true manhood.

I can not refrain from exjiressing my firm belief that if the truth is known — made
plain to responsible heads of the ci vilized powers of the world — that not one of these
Governments will hesitate to unite with ours in closing Bering Sea and its passes of
the Aleutian chain to any and all pelagic fur sealing during the breeding season of
that animal.

(9) That COWS suckle no pups other than their own.
Eeferring to the driving of nursing cows, he says:

Page 297: * * * That means death or permanent disability, even if the cows
are driven but once — death to both cow and her pup left behind, since that pup will
not be permitted to suckle any other.

(10) That pups learn to swim; that in the beginning of August a
large majority of them are wholly unused to water (p. 255), and that a
number of them do not " get into the water" before September 1 (p. 260).

(11) That the seals are of a gentle disposition, are not frightened by
the presence of man, and should not be regarded as wild animals.

Page 123: Docility of fur seals when dr-iven. — I was also impressed by the singular
docility and amiability of these animals when driven along the road; they never
show fight any more than a flock of sheep would do.

Page 98 : Gentleness of the seals. — Descend with me from this sand-dune elevation of
Tolstoi and walk into the drove of holluscliickie below us; we can do it; you do not
notice much confusion or dismay as we go in among them; they simply open out
before us and close in behind our tracks, stirring, crowding to the right and left as
we go, 12 to 20 feet away from us on each side. Look at this small flock of year-
lings— some 1, others 2, and even 3 years old, which are coughing and spitting
around us now, staring up at our faces in amazement as we walk ahead; they strug-
gle a few rods out of our reach and then come together again behind us, showing
no further notice of ourselves. You could not walk into a drove of hogs at Chicago
without exciting as much confusion and arousing an infinitely more disagreeable
tumult; and as for sheep on the plains they would stampede far quicker. Wild
indeed! you can now readily understand how easy it is for two or three men, early
in the morning, to come where we are, turn aside from this vast herd in front of us
and around us 2,000 or 3,000 of the best examples, and drive them back, up and over
to the village.

(12) That virgin females go to the islands when 2 years old and are
there impregnated.

Page 18: It must be borne in mind that perhaps 10 or 12 per cent of the entire
number were yearlings last season and came up onto these breeding grounds as vir-
gins for the Arst time during this season; as 2-year-old cows they of course bear
no young. (Ibid.) This surplus area of the males is also more than balanced and
equalized by the 15,000 to 20,000 virgin females which come onto the rookery for the
first time to meet the males. They come, rest a few days or a week, and retire, leav-
ing no young to show their presence on the ground.

Page 139 : Next year these yearlings which are now trooping out with the youthful
males on the hauling grounds will repair to the rookeries, while their male com-
panions will be obliged to come again to this same spot.

V.

Again this report not only supports all positions taken by the United
States on the main points, but as clearly condemns all of the special
assertions made on the part of Great Britain for the purpose of weak-
ening those positions:

(1) Mr. Elliott holds that coition is never effected in the sea (p. 83).

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 309

(2) He repudiates the notion tliat the seals have in any respect
changed their habits, either in dates of arrival at the islands or other-
wise (pp. 80, 104, lOS; 108, 240, L»4L», 201).

(3) His observations are to the effect that in the years 1872 to 1876
the herd was in a condition of abnimding prosperity. The British
Government cites Bryant to prove that dnring tliis period a decrease
in certain classes of the seals had been observed (pp. 09, 77, 78, 79, 124,
151).

(4) The British assertion that the effect of raids upon the island has
been considerable is contradicted by him (pp. 57, 58).

(5) He states, contrary to the contention of Great Britain, that there
has been a gradual improvement in the methods of driving and that
the actual driving to-day is carried on with the greatest of care (pp.
269, 283).

(6) He states that the condition of the natives has improved since
the Americans took possession of the islands, and that they are to-day
in every res])ect well off (pp. 163, 185).

(7) He states that no reduction took place in the standard weight of
skins until 1887 (p. 143).

(8) He states that the seals have great powers of locomotion on land
(pp. 53, 244, 258).

Elsewhere Mr. Elliott says (Fur-seal Fisheries of Alaska, p. 136):

Its forefeet or flippers are exceedingly broad aud powerful, and when it comes out
of the water it nioves forward, stepping with considerable rapidity and much grace.

(9) That the latest date for properly observing the rookeries is July
20 or thereabouts, for after that date disintegration sets in (pp. iii, 16,
21, 83, 236, 249).

It follows that the rookery observations of the British commissioners,
who did not reach the islands in 1891 until July 27, are worthless. It
follows, also, that Mr. Macoun (whose observations in 1891 were even
less extensive than those of the British commissioners) is not in a posi-
tion to institute any comparison between the appearance of the rookeries
in 1891 and 1892, respectively.

(10) Mr. Elliott gives no countenance to the idea that there exist
independent pelagic schools of young seals which do not visit the
islands. His report is replete with instances where he has observed
large numbers of yearlings and 2-year olds of both sexes on the islands.

Page 105: By the 14th to the 20th of June, they (the holluschickie) then appear
in their tinest form and number for the season, being joined now by the great bulk
of the 2-year olds, and quite a number of yearlings. By the 10th of July tlieir num-
bers are beginning to largely increase, owing to the influx at this time of that great
body of the last year's pups or yearlings. By the 20th of July the yearlings have put
in their appearance for the season in full force. Very few yearlings make their
appearance until the 15th of July, but by the 20th they literally swarmed out, in
1872-1874, and mixed up completely with the young and older males and females a<j
the rookeries relax their discipline and " pod " or scatter out.

Page 243 : I took notice of a large proportion of small or 2-year-old females, and
the unusual slowness of hauling, compared with 1872, which was now at its greatest
activity July 7. (Tolstoi, July 1, 1890.)

Page 253: The holluschickie are chiefly 1-year olds; nine-tenths of the several
pods hauled out here to-day are yearlings. A great many yearling females are
hauling down at landings in and among the scattered harems, aimlessly paddling
about; their slight forms and bright backs, white throats and abdomens, are shining'
out very brightly. (Xorth Rookery, July 30, 1870.)

Page 298: T observed a very large proportion of yearling cows scattered all over
the breeding ground from end to end near the sea margin, while the yearlings of
both sexes are completely mixed upon the outskirts of the rookery, here and every-
where else commingled with the adult cows and their young pups. (St. George,
July 30, 1890.)

310 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Eeferences to the report showing that yearlings and 2-year olds come
to the islands might be multiplied almost indefinitely. (See pp. 98,
139, 140, 143, 147, 253, 255, 256, 277, 289, 291.)

(11) Mr. Elliott scorns the notion upon which the framers of the
British case have sought to base the moral title of Canada to a special
benefit from the herd, namely, that the seals consume food which would
otherwise support fisheries valuable to Canada, for he shows that the
true enemy of these fisheries is the dogfish, of which the seal is, in its
turn, the greatest destroyer.

Page 307: Suppose, for argument, that we could and did kill all the seals, we
would at once give the deadly dogfish (Squalno ancarthias) , which fairly swarms in
these waters, an immense impetus to its present extensive work of destruction of
untold millions of young food fishes, such as herring, cod, and salmon.

A dogfish can and does destroy every day of its existence hundreds and thousands
of young cod, salmon, and other food fishes — destroys at least double and quadru-
ple as much as a seal. What is the most potent factor to the destruction of the dog-
fish? Why the seal himself, and unless man can and will destroy the dogfish first,
he will bo doing positive injury to the very cause he pretends to champion if he is
permitted to disturb this equilibrium of nature and destroy the seal.

VI.

If Mr. Elliott's views, as an observer of facts, as a discoverer of causes,
as a reasoner, or as an authority in any particular upon seal life upon
the Pribilof Ishinds, are of any value whatever, it should be to show
that in the years from 1884 to 1890 the male seals had, in consequence
of overdriving, become so few in number and so destitute of virile power
that they were not competent to the task of impregnating even the
diminished number of female seals which the herd then contained.

Do those who represent the Government of Great Britain really wish
to persuade the Tribunal that this is true? Such would seem to be the
only conceivable purpose for which such a struggle was made to intro-
duce this report into the evidence. Unless it tends to prove this, it has
no tendency except to overthrow every position taken on the part of
Great Britain.

But yet the same learned counsel have produced more than one
hundred witnesses who swear that in the years 1891 and 1892 the seals
were found upon the seas in unprecedented numbers, and some twenty-
five of them note specifically having taken young, small, or 2year-old
seals, some of the catches consisting exclusively of this class, which
must have owed their existence to the impotent bull observed by Mr.
Elliott.

What are we to believe — that Elliott's statemetits are worthless, or
that these witnesses are testifying to what is false, or that these few
supposed impotent bulls were endowed with procreative jiowers wholly
unprecedented even iu the case of the Alaskan bull seal? Let these
contradictions be reconciled as best they may. In the view of the Gov-
ernment of the United States, both these conflicting statements are alike
untrustworthy and should be disregarded.

(1) The names of the one hundred witnesses and upward are given
in the British counter case (Appendix, Vol. II, pp. 29-33).
. (2) The names of the twenty-five witnesses above mentioned, who
caught young, small, or 2-year olds in 1892, are as follows (see British
counter case, Appendix, Vol. II, pp. 14-22) :

Capt. Abel Douglas, George Eoberts, William G. Goudie, James
Shields, George F. French, Andrew Mathison, Capt. Ernest Lorenz,
Oapt. Charles Campbell, Capt. James W. Todd, Henry Paxton, George

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 311

Heater, Capt. James D. Warren, Capt. Micajah Pickney, Capt. Michael
Keefe, William F. Eolaiid, P. Garlson, Kasado, Sehoiiltwick, Clahapi-
sum, Hanaisum, Clahouto, W. Watt, Clat-ka-koi, Kickiaiia, and Elieii-
chesut.

And Mr. Elliott himself seems to have observed the nsual number of
yearling's in 1890. And yet the impotency which he imagines to have
been brought about as the result of redriving through a series of years
must, if it existed at all, have been nearly as marked in 1889, when
these j^earlings were begotten.

PELAGIC SEALING IN BERING SEA.

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE TREASURY WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS

UPON THE SUBJECT.

31J

PELAGIC SEALING IN BERING SEA.

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE TREASURY WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS UPON THE

SUBJECT.

Treasury Department,

Washington^ B. C, Jamiary 19, 1895.

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith our official statement of
the American pelagic fur-seal catch of 1894, taken from the record of the
custom-houses at the ports of San Francisco, Port Townsend, and
Astoria, that the same may be transmitted to the British Government
in compliance with article 5 of the Bering Sea arbitration award.

It appears in said statement that the total number of seal skins taken
bv American vessels and entered at American ports was 26,095. The
catch was distributed between the Asiatic Coast, the British Columbia
and Northwestern Coast, and Bering Sea, the two latter constituting the
total pelagic catch taken from the American herd of so-called Alaska
fur seals.

It will be observed by reference to said statement that in many
instances the latitude and longitude have been omitted. The explana-
tion of this offered by the collector at San Francisco is that the several
masters of the said vessels deposed under oath that they cleared with-
out notice of the pending award, and consequently were ignorant of its
requirement.

An examination of the London sales of North Pacific pelagic fur skins,
which have recently been held, discloses that 125,269 skins were sold
and about 10,000 reserved for future sale; to this should be added the
skins retained in the United States, estimated at 10,000, the total being
145,269. The unofficial returns of the British catch, transmitted to the
State Department by our consul at Victoria, "idded to our official returns,
make a total of 121,143, or about 24,126 skins less than the estimated
catch of 145,26l> based on trade sales and estimate of skins retained in
the United States. It is possible that this number may have been trans-
shipped by American or British vessels at Yokohama. We have no
record of any transshipments except as regards 6,760 skins, which
arrived in the port of San Francisco, and appear in our official returns,
and which were undoubtedly taken on the Japan and Russian coasts.
It is possible that said balance of 24,126 skins may have been entered
at Victoria or shipped via Suez Canal.

Should the identity of these skins be ascertained, this Department
will submit a supplemental report thereon.

All of the skins, of which the sex is indicated in the accompanying
statement, were carefully examined by an expert inspector at the time
of their entry.

1 have the honor to request that you call upon the British G-overn-
meut for its official returns of the pelagic catch for 1893 and 1894, and

315

316 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

that you specifically request information on the following points as to
the catches of 1893 and 1894:

(1) As to the total number of seals taken by British vessels.

(2) The total number of skins landed at British ports by said vessels.

(3) The total number transshipped in Japan and Eussian ports, and
landed ultimately at Victoria.

(4) The number of skins landed at Victoria by American vessels.

(5) A report as to the sex of seals taken in Bering Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean.

(6) Location of the place of catch by latitude and longitude.

(7) The number of seal hunters employed, indicating whites and
Indians, and also the number of the crew and the tonnage of each
vessel.

I have further to request that you inquire whether or not pelagic
skins were specially examined as to the sex by the British Government,
as was done in the case of the skins entered in United States ports.
I have the honor, etc..

The Secretary of State.

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

Treasitey Department,

WasMnyton, D. C, February 12, 1895.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the statistics heretofore
furnished to you by this Department, containing a statement of the
pelagic catch of seals taken by American vessels in the north Pacific
Ocean and Bering Sea during the season of 1894, were not extended so
as to show the operations by latitude and longitude for each day. I
herewith transmit two copies of a detailed statement of such operations,
which statements include four vessels additional to those named in the
papers heretofore sent to you, viz, the Louis Olsen, which entered at
Victoria; Rose Sparhs, Therese, and Jane Grey, which entered at San
Francisco. These statements have been compiled under the direction
of the United States Fish Commission, from the records of tbe custom-
houses and personal observations of Prof. C. H. Townsend, who is con-
nected with the Commission. It will be noted that, as you have been
advised heretofore, the remaining vessels cleared without notice of the
regulations of the Paris award, and therefore kept no record of latitude
and longitude. The collector of customs at San Francisco reports that
he required the masters to make oath to this fact on entry.
Respectfully, yours,

C. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

(For iiiclosure, see Reports on Fur Seals by Fisli Commission, Sen. Doc. 137, part 2,
54th Coug., Ist sess., pp. 59-GO.)

Treasury Department,
Washington, D. C, February 12, 1895.
Sir: As requested by Mr. Bax-Ironsides, I take pleasure in trans-
mitting for your information copy of a letter dated the 11th instant,
addressed by me to the President, in relation to the resolution recently
introduced in the Senate, calling for reports, documents, and other

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 317

papers, including logs of vessels, pertaining to the enforcement of the
regulations respecting fur seals, adopted by the Governments of the
United States and Great Britain, in accordance with the derision of
the Tribunal of Arbitration .convened at Paris, and the regulations
under Avhich such reports are required to be made, etc.

I desire to state, also, that I have to-day transmitted to the honorable
the Secretary of State two copies of a statement j^repared by Prof. 0.
H. Townsend, of the Fish Commission, wherein is given farther informa-
tion as to the latitude and longitude in which seals were taken by
pelagic sealers in Ameri(;an vessels during the season of 18U4, one of
which copies, it was suggested, should be transmitted for the inforina-
tiou of the British Government in compliance with article 5 of the
Bering Sea arbitration award.
Hespectfully, yours,

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

Sir Julian Pauncefote,

British Ainbatmador, Washington, D. 0,

[luclosure.]

Treasury Department,
Washington, £>. C, February 11, 1895.
To the President:

Referring to Senate resohition of January 8, 1895, calling for all reports, docu-
ments, and otlier papers, including logs of vessels, relating to the enforcement of
the regulations respecting fur seals adopted by the Governments of the United
States and Great Britain, in accordance with the decision of the Tribunal of Arbi-
tration convened at Paris, and the resolutions (regulations f) under which said
reports are required to be made, as well as relating to the number of seal taken
during the season of 1894 by pelagic liuuters and by the lessees of the Pribilof and
Commander islands, I have the honor to transmit herewith a statement taken frour
the logs of vessels showing the latitude and longitude in which fur seals were taken
in Bering Sea. It will be noticed that only 10 of the 32 American vessels engaged
in fur-seal Ashing have made returns as to said latitude and longitude. The collector
of customs at San Francisco reports that the captains of the other vessels deposed
under oath that they cleared without notice of the regulations and thereibre made
no record of the places of cajiture.

I have further to state that during the season of 1894 about 142,000 seals were
killed by pelagic hunters in the North Pacific Ocean, including Bering Sea. Of this
number about 60,000 were taken either in Bering Sea or on the American side of the
North Pacitic Ocean; 15,033 seals were taken on the Pribilof Islands by the North
American Commercial Company, lessees under the contract with this Government
dated March 12, 1890. This Department has no official statistics of tlie catch on the
Commander Islands, but is unofficially informed that it amounted to 27,285.

I also transmit herewith extracts from the logs of the United States Revenue-
Marine steamers Bush, Corwin, and Bear, with relation to the enforcement of the
regulations respecting fur seals as determined by the Paris Tri))unal of Arbitration.

The papers above referred to constitute all the rejiorts and documents in this
Department which it is deemed compatible with the jiublic interests to transmit to
Congress at this time.

I have the honor, etc.,

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

Treasury Department,

Washington, I). C, May 6, 1895.
Sir: The experience of the past sealing season — the first under the
provisions of the Paris award of Augnst 15, 1893 — has disclosed cer-
tain defects both in the form and scope of the award and of the legis-
lation, especially that enacted by the British Government, for carrying-
out its provisions. I deem it my duty to call these defects to your

318 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

attention with the request that you communicate with the Britivsh Gov-
ernment and endeavor to secure by mutual arrangement approi)riate
legislation in order that the object of the award — the preservation of
the fur-seal fisheries — may be more effectually accomplished.

The contention of the British Grovernment that regulations framed
for the purpose of carrying out the award should be coextensive with
and limited by the terms of the award would seem to be sound. It
therefore only remains to consider certain aspects in which the award
fails to provide for contingencies which, in the opinion of this Depart-
ment, should be promptly guarded against by concurrent legislation
not attainable with the assent of Great Britain in the form of regula-
tions because of the limitations hereinafter referred to.

The most radical defect in the award is Article VI, which prohibits
the use of nets, firearms, and explosives in fur-seal fishing, the only
exception being that of guns when used outside of Bering Sea. The pro-
hibition is directed simply to the use of these weapons for one partic-
ular purpose — seal fishing — leaving both the possession and use lawful
for all other purposes, such as killing whales, walrus, sea otter, hair
seal, and other animals found within said sea.

Experience has shown it to be almost a practicable impossibility to
detect a sealing vessel in the act of using such firearms for this one
prohibited purpose. Although the searching officer may be morally
certain that firearms have been used and may properly consider the
mere presence of firearms on the vessel, if accompanied with bodies of
seals, seal skins, or other suspicious evidences, sufficient justification
(even apart from the provisions of section 10 of the act of Congress of
April 6, 1894, which is applicable only to American vessels) for the
seizure of such a vessel, it must be apparent that in proceedings for
condemnation brought in a court thousands of miles away from the
place of seizure it will be almost an impossibility to secure conviction
and forfeiture on the ground of illegal use of weapons. Furthermore,
under the procedure necessary following the seizure of a British vessel
the United States seizing officer delivers the vessel, with such witnesses
and proof as he can procure, to the senior British naval officer at
dnalaska. At the trial no representative of our Government is present,
and the British Government must conduct the prosecution and must
trust to such proofs and witnesses as the American officer could collect
and furnish at the time. Under such circumstances forfeiture of the
vessel could not be secured except in the clearest cases of guilt.

The prohibition of the use of firearms in seal fishing in Bering Sea
was effectually accomplished only by prohibiting the possession of fire-
arms in said sea for any purpose whatever.

The provisions of section 10 of the act of Congress of April 6, 1894,
raising a presumption of illegal use from the possession of implements
forbidden then and there to be used, is of great value in enforcing the
award, but the act is limited to American vessels. It is to be regretted
that there is no equivalent provision in the British act of Parliament
enacted April 18, 1894, for carrying out said award.

In this connection it is significant that in the act passed by Parlia-
ment for carrying out the modus vivendi of June 15, 1891, prohibiting
all sealing in Bering Sea (54 and 55 Victoria, Chap. XIX), a provision
similar to that contained in the act of Congress above cited was
inserted, as follows :

If a British ship is found within Bering Sea having on board thereof fishing or
sealing implements or seal skins or bodies of seals it shall lie on the owner or master
of such ship to prove that the ship was not used or employed iu contravention of
this act.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 319

It is to be regretted that the late British act for carrying out the
award contained no simihir provision, modified, of course, to suit the
terms of the award. A-Ithough an amendment bringing it into harmony
with the American law would render the task of enforcing the award
much easier and the result more efficacious, yet, as stated above, the
most satisfactory amendment would consist in common legislation ren-
dering a vessel subject to forfeiture if found with firearms in its pos-
session in Bering Sea.

The above suggestions are prompted by certain reports just received
from the United States Fish Commission containing statements of
officers of the Commission employed last season in Bering Sea that lire-
arms were used by sealers fishing in said sea. Although little or no
direct evidence was submitted by these officers as a basis of their
opinion, yet the opportunity they had of observing the operations of
the seaiing fleet and of boarding vessels and inspecting catches renders
their opinion of the greatest value and prompts the Department to sug-
gest the necessity of an immediate change in the law.

It should further be provided by legislation that sealing vessels hav-
ing implements or seal skins on board, desiring to traverse the area cov-
ered by the award during the close season if licensed, and during any
season if unlicensed, should have such implements duly sealed and
their catch noted on the log book (a privilege now accorded at the
option of the master, under the regulations of 1895, Article IV), under
penalty of forfeiture for violation of this provision. This privilege, how-
ever, as above stated, should not be accorded vessels having firearms in
Bering Sea.

It is further to be noted that under the British act of Parliament the
provisions of the merchant shipping act of 1854 with respect to official
logs (including the penal provision) are made applicable to sealing
vessels. Said penal provisions, however, do not appear in the schedules
attached to the copy of the act in the possession of the Department.
I have therefore to request that you ascertain of the British Gov-
ernment whether such penalties include forfeiture of the vessel and
cargo. The United States act, section 8, expressly provides that any
violations of the award or regulations will render the vessel and cargo
liable to forfeiture. It is feared that because of the specific reference
to the j)enal provisions of the merchants' act as to official logs the fail-
ure of a vessel to keep log entries might not bring her within the gen-
eral liability to forfeiture contained in the British act, unless said mer-
chants' act, made a part thereof, contains similar i^rovisions. During
the past season log-book entries were duly made by the United States
sealing vessels in Bering Sea and were transmitted to Congress.

The Department is also informed that similar entries were made by
British vessels in Bering Sea, which entries have been duly transmitted
by the British Government. Many vessels, however, had cleared for
the coasts of Japan and Russia as early as January, long before the
passage of either the act of Congress of April 6, 1891, or the act of Par-
liament of April 18, 1894.

Inasmuch as the award was not self operative and contained no pen-
alties for its violation the Department considered that the penalties
provided in the subsequent legislation were not retroactive and could
not properly be applied to acts or omissions before the passage of said
legislation. Entry was therefore permitted of the catch of seals on
receipt of the master's oath that he cleared in ignorance of the pro-
visions as to log-book entries. During the coming season collectors

320 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

have been iustructed to rigidly enforce tlie law as to log book entries.
The exact status, therefore, of the British law becomes important.

I have further to call your attention to the fact that, by acts of Con-
gress making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Govern-
ment for the fiscal years ending 1895 and 1896, provision was made for
the appointment of seal experts to examine all seal skins landed in the
United States as to the number and sex, with the purpose of verifying
the log-book entries. All skins entered during the past season at United
States ports, except Port Townsend, were duly examined by said inspec-
tors as to number and sex; by an error, however, the skins entered at
Port Townsend, although duly counted, were not examined as to sex.

I would respectfully request that you ascertain whether during the
past season the British Government employed similar inspectors to
verify the log-book entries of British vessels as to number and sex of
seal skins landed.

I have also further to suggest that you request of the British Gov-
ernment that its consent be given to stationing United States inspectors
at British Columbian ports, for the purpose of verifying said log entries
of British vessels and examining the skins as to sex, freely according
to the British Government a like privilege in United States ports.

I would also call your attention to the fact that under the British act
it is nowhere made the duty of the British naval officers to seize ships
when found in violation of the law. Section 11 of the United States
act imposes said duty on United States officers duly designated by the
President. This latter point, I believe, has already been called by you
to the attention of the British Government.

Should these suggestions as to new legislation meet with your
approval and be enacted by the respective Governments, I am confident
that the award can be enforced so as to better subserve the purpose for
which it was intended — the preservation of the fur-seal fisheries.

I have the honor to request that you communicate these suggestions,
if approved by you, to the British Government.
Eespectfully, yours,

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

Treasury Department,

Washington, B. C, May 6, 1895.

Sir: In my letter of even date herewith I had the honor to suggest
that you endeavor to secure the cooperation of the British Government
to the end that certain necessary legislation be enacted to render the
Paris award more effective for the purpose of preserving the fur-seal
herd. I have now the honor to transmit certain further suggestions as
to widening, by mutual agreement, the scope of the award, which I
believe to be warranted by the information now in possession of the
Department.

The sealing season just closed was the first during which the pro-
visions of the Paris award were applicable, and I regret to have to
state that the pelagic catch of seals both without and within the award
area was the largest ever known in the history of pelagic sealing.

In my communication to Congress, January 21, 1895 (Ex. Doc. No.
243, Fifty-third Congress, third session),^ I was able to state the catch

1 A copy of this communicatiou is appended hereto.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 321

as reported iu the United States and British Cohimbia custom-houses
as 121,143, I stated, liowever, that it was known that a large number
of skins were transshipped in Japan ports and sent to London by way of
the Suez Canal. Eeliable information as to the sale of fur-seal skins
in London for the season of 1891 discloses that 138,323 skins, taken at
sea in the ISTorth Pacific Ocean from the American and Russian or
Japanese herds during the season of 1894, were sold in London. Care-
ful estimates show that about 3,000 were retained in the United States
for dressing and dyeing, making a total of 141,323. To this should be
added about 800 which were known to have been on a vessel believed
to have been lost, making the total about 142,000. Of this amount
55,G8G were taken within the area covered by the Paris award.

The following table gives the number of skins taken within said
Paris award area during the years 1890 and 1894, inclusive:

1890 40,809

1891 45,941

1892 46,642

1893 28,613

1894 55,686

It would be within moderate bounds to state that these figures of
seals killed and recovered represent only about one-third of all killed,
but whose bodies were not recovered.

A perusal of these figures must satisfy the most skeptical that the
fur-seal herd will be speedily exterminated unless an immediate change
is made in the scope as well as the form of the award.

So far as the articles of the award relating to the IS'orth Pacific
Ocean, exclusive of Bering Sea, are concerned, forbidding all seal fish-
ing from May to August,"it must be admitted much good has been
accomplished, and favorable results were apparent on the islands early
in the season. The fatal defect in the scope of the award, however,
was iu opening Bering Sea during August and September to sealers,
l)rohibiting only therein the use of firearms. It has been claimed, and
with some evidence in its favor, that the spear is as destructive in Ber-
ing Sea as the shotgun. Some experts believe that even greater
destruction is accomplished iu Bering Sea by the use of the spear thau
by guus, for the reason that the noise of the shotguns frightens away
many seals who might be easily killed sleeping on the water by spears-
men. While the herd is traveling in the North Pacific Ocean away
from the islands it is very difficult to kill seals with spears, as they are
constantly traveling and rarely found asleep on the water. In Bering
Sea, however, the females leave their pups on the islands and go out
for a distance of 100 or 200 miles from the islands, far beyond the pro-
hibited zone of GO miles, to feed. They are there found in large num-
bers asleep on the water, and can easily be killed by the silent, skillful
si)earsmen. The large number of pups found dead from starvation on
the islands during the latter part of September and October, 1894 —
12,000 by actual count on the accessible parts of the rookeries, and
20,000 by careful estimates— shows the destructive effect of permitting
sealing at all iu Bering Sea. Should Bering Sea be forever closed to
pelagic sealers, and should the closed season now provided by the
award in the North Pacific Ocean be maintained, the Department
believes that the seals would receive fair protection, and that fur-seal
fishing might continue to be a profitable one, both on land and on sea.
Unless this limitation in the scope of the award be made, within a very
few years at the most the seals will be exterminated commercially and
the industry destroyed.

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 21

322 " ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

The Department unclerstaiids that you have already suggested to the
British Government the appointment of a commission, to consist of
members appointed by the Governments of Great Britain, Kussia,
Japan, and ilie United States, to examine further into the sealing ques-
tion, and that pending their examination and report a modus vivendi
be agreed upon, one clause of Avhich provides for closing Bering Sea to
pelagic sealing absolutely. This communication is sent you to further
inform you that the oflicial figures of last season's catch, now definitely
known, fully bear out the wisdom and necessity of such a change in
the provisions of the award.

Trusting that some arrangement as above suggested may be agreed
upon, I have the honor to be,
Kesi)ectfully, yours,

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

[Inclosure.]

TkEASURY DePAUTiMENT.
Washinfjton, D. C, January 21, 1895.

Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the follo^Yiug resolution, dated
the 11th of December, 1894, of the House of Representatives:

"Besolred, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to furnish the House
with information —

"1. As to whetlier the articles of the Bering Sea Tribunal, convened at Paris in
1893, for the regulation of the fur-seal industry of Alaska, have resulted during the
last season in saving the fur-seal herds from that destruction which these articles
were intended to prevent.

"2. Whether the Secretary has authentic information of the probable number and
sex of Alaskan fur seals killed in the last season by pelagic sealers; and if so, what
such information is; and iji view of such facts, what, in the judgment of the Secre-
tary, will be the practical result of these articles if carried out in good faith for the
future.

"3. What is the present condition of the fur-seal herds on the Pribilof Islands?

"4. What has been the revenue derived by the Government from the fur-seal herds
of Alaska during the past season, and also what has been the expenditure during the
same period in executing the regulations of the Paris award?"

In reply to the first inquiry I have to state that the number of seals taken by pelagic
sealers in the North Pacific Ocean for the season just expired and entered at United
States and British Columbia ports, as contained in the accompanying table, com-
piled from official reports of collectors of customs in the United States and reports
transmitted by the United States consul at Victoria, British Columbia, compiled by
him from the official statements of the collector of customs at that port, aggregate
121,143. Of this ]iumber .55,686 were taken from the so-called Alaska seal herd in the
North Pacific Ocean and in Bering Sea; 58,621 were taken off the coasts of Japan and
Russia, leaving 6,836 undetermined. Ninety-five vessels were employed, 60 belong-
ing to Great Britain and 35 to the United States.

As appears in said table, the actual number of seals killed in 1894 exceeds the
amount of skins entered as aboA-e by about 20,000, making the total catch about
142,000. This balance of 20,000 skins was probably shipped to London via Suez
Canal from the Asiatic Coast.

From these figures it becomes evident that during the present season there has been
an unprecedented increase over preceding years'in the number of seals killed by
jjelagic sealers, both in American and Asiatic waters. This increaKse has caused an
alaruiiug decrease in the number of seals on the islands, as hereinafter explained. A
siguificant fact in this connection is the unprecedented number of dead pups found
on the islands this season which presumably died of starvation, their mothers being
killed at sea. Our agent counted over 12,000 on the accessible portions of the rook-
eries alone. He estimates, upon said count, a total of nearly 20,000. It should be
remembered that at the close of the season of 1893, when pelagic sealing was prohib-
ited in Bering Sea, less than 1,000 were found on St. Paul Island, no count having
been made on the Island of St. George.

The alaruiiug increase in the number of seals killed by pelagic sealers, and the fur-
ther fact that in four or fivt* weeks the vessels in Bering Sea, only about one-third
of the total number, killed more seals than were taken in the four months sealing on

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 323

the American side of the North Pacific, emphasize the conclusion expressed in my
auiinal report to Congress, that long before tlie exjiiratioaof the five years, when the
legulatious enacted by the Tribunal of Arbitration are to he submitted to the
respective Governments for reexamination, the fur seal will have been practically
exterminated.

My answer to the first inquiry is, therefore, that the operatiim of the articles of the
Bering Sea Tribunal for the regulation of tbe fur-seal industry of Alaska has not
resulted in saving the fur-seal herd from that destruction which those articles were
intended to prevent.

As to the number and sex of Alaskan fur seals killed during the past season by
pelagic sealers, I have to state that of the American catch of 26,095 seals, 3,099 were
males, 15,976 females, and 7,020 pups and seals the sex of which was unknown. Each
seal landed in the United States was carefully examined as to sex by experts appointed
by the Department.

Of the catch of the British Columbia schooners of 95,048 seals, as reported by our
consul, only those killed in Bering Sea— 26,425— were classified as to sex. Of these,
11,723 were reported as males and 14,702 as females.

AVith rc^ference to the present condition of the fur-seal herds on the Pribilof Islands,
I have to report a dangerous decrease. Information on file in the Department indi-
cates a falling off of at least one-half during the past four seasons. It thus appears
that the condition of the Alaskan fur-seal herd is most critical. All facts point to
its speedy extermination unless the present regulations, enacted in the award of the
Paris Tribunal, are ch:mged at an early date, so as to aftbrd a greater measure of
protection to the seal herd.

In reply to the inquiry concerning the revenue derived by the Government from
the fur-seal herds during the past season, and the expenditures during the same
period in executing the requirements of the Paris av.^ard, I have to state that 15,000
seals were taken on the Pribilof Islands in the year last past, and 1,031 remained on
hand from last year. The amount to be paid by the lessees of the islands, according
to the provisions of their contract, on or before April 1 next, will be $214,298.37, the
items being as follows:

Rental -$60,000.00

Tax of $2 per skin on 16,031 skins 32,062.00

Bonus of $7,625 per skin on 16,031 skins 122,236.37

As to expenses, I have to state that the honorable the Secretary of the Navy reports
that the expenditure incident to the presence of the United States naval vessels in
Bering Sea during the past year was $158,188.25. The expenses attending the pres-
ence of the revenue steamers Bear, Corwin, and Bush aggregate $40,116.24. The
amounts named do not include the pay of otficers or men or the rations supplied to
them. Of the $1,500 appropriated to enable the Secretary of the Treasury to pay
the necessary exi^enses of enforcing the provisions of section 4 of the act approved
April 6, 1894, under which two ex^jerts were employed to examine and classify
pelagic seal skins, the sum of $250 has been expended. The salaries and expenses
of tiie agents of the Seal Islands, whose duties would require them to be present on
said islands without regard to the Bering Sea controversy, have not been included
in jn-eparing this answer to the resolution. The aggregate expenses would, there-
fore, seem to be $198. 554. 49.

In this connection I have to state that suit has been instituted against the North
American Commercial Company for the recovery, under the terms of its lease of the
Seal Islands, of the sum of $132,187.50, covering the season of 1893. The company
named, under its lease, is required to pay the sum of $60,000 per annum rental, $2 tax
on each seal taken, and, in addition, $7,625 for each seal skin accepted. It is claimed
by said company that, as it was denied the right to take the number of seals con-
templated at the time the lease was executed, by reason of the operation of the
modus Vivendi, a reduction in the rental and in the item of $7,625 per skin should
be made. This claim, under advice of the Attorney-General, has not been admitted
by the Treasury Department, and, as hereinbefore stated, suit has been instituted.
I find that the following balances for the years specified are due from said company
nnder its lease, notwithstanding the fact that my predecessors have accepted pay-
ments in less amounts than those mentioned in the contract hereinbefore referred
to: 1890, $47,403; 1891, $133,628.64; and 1892, $108,686.52.

Action by this Department on the above-mentioned unpaid amounts will be deter-
mined by the result of the suit pending for the amount due for the year 1893.
Respectfully, yours,

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

Hon. Charles F. Crisp,

Spealcer of the Rouse of Representatives,

324

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Sununary ofjjelagic seal catches for 1893 and 1S94, based on the official returns from ports

of entry.

Tear.

Nationality.

British Co-
lumbia and
Northwest
coasts.

Bering Sea.

Japan
Coast.

Russian
Coast.

Locality

undeter- Total,
mined.

Grand
total.

1893...

American. . .

[Modus viven-]
I di in opera- ^
1, tion . J

8,342

8,342
69, 741

} * 78, 083

Canadian . . .

American. ..
Canadian . . .

Total..

28, C13

29, 173

11, 955

1804...

12, 398
11, 703

5,160
26, 425

1, 500 201

49, 483 7, 437

6,836

26, 095
95 048

|t 121, 143

24, 101

31, 585

50, 983

7,638

6,838

* Notes concerning catch for iS93.— The United States consul at Victoria states (Consular Reports
No. 161, p. 279) that American schooners in 1893 trans-shipped, at Yokohama and Ilakodadi, between
17,000 and 18,00(1 skins. Tliese skins, added to those whicli in all probability were transshipped by
British Columbia vessels on the Asiatic Coast, aud including the estimated number retained in America
for treatment, would swell the total catch to about 109,000. The accuracy of these tiguros is corrob-
orated by the fact that the trade sales of London (all seal skins are sold there) account for the dispo-
sition of 109,669 skins in 1893.

^ Notes concerning catch for lS9i. — The catch of 6,836 noted in the column headed " Locality undeter-
mined " were skins, 76 of which were landed at Astoria without statement as to place of cajpture; 641
were transshipped at Unalaska, and the remaining 6, 1 19 were transshipped from Yokoham.q. All were
entered aud recorded in American ports of entry and tiiey are quite certainly a mixture of Northwest
Coast and Japan skins. It has been ascertained from the sales of seal skins in London that about
125,000 skins were actually sold, and about 14,000 withheld for future sale in 1894. In addition thereto
it is estimated that about 3,000 skins were retained in this country and elsewhere for treatment. It
thus appears that about 142,000 is a figure much more closelj' representing the number of skins taken
in 18M than the official returns of 121,143. The balance, about 20,000 skina, was probably shipped to
London, via Suez Canal, from the Asiatic Coast.

Number of schooners reported as having taken skins.

Tear.

American.

Canadian.

Total.

1893

28
35

*56
*60

84

1894

95

* Indian canoe catch counted as one (1) vessel. In destructive effects the canoe catch is about equal
to three average schooner catches.

Number of schooners rej)07'ted as having made catches in Bering Sea.

Tear.

1893
1894

American. Canadian

Total

Modus Vivendi in operation.

10 ] 27 I

37

Treasury Department,

Washington, 1). C, May 15, 1895.
Sir: I beg to return herewith the letter of the British ambassador,
dated the 11th instant,^ handed me by you, transmitting the declina-
tion of his Government to agree upon concurrent regulations for carry-
ing out the provisions of the Paris award during the present season.
The reason given for such declination is that the provisions of the
award relating to the special license aud distinguishing flag are already
l)rovided for in the British order in council of February 2, 1895 ; that
concurrent regulations similar to those agreed u^jou for last season by
the representative Governments as to sealing up the outfit and arms
of sealing vessels are not considered necessary for the present season,
inasmuch as the possession by vessels within the award area and dur-
ing the closed season of said outfit and arms is nowhere forbidden by

' Not furnished.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 325

the terms of tlie award. On the subject of the regulations of last
season it is stated that "the arrangeiuent in question lias not in prac-
tice beeu worked for the protectiou of I^ritish sealers from interference
as Her Majesty's Government had hoped would have been the case,"
reference being- specially made to the seizure by United States officers
of the British schooners Wanderer and Favorite.

Attention is further called to the fact that in making said seizures
the United States officers were under the erroneous impression that the
act of Congress of April (>, 18!)4, was applicable to British vessels, and,
in fact, cited said act as justification for the seizure, whereas its pro-
visions are applicable only to American vessels, the right to seize
British vessels being limited to offenses under the British act of Par-
liament only to be exercised by virtue of tlie power given in the order
in council of April 30, 1894. Bequest is also made that United States
officers engaged in patrolling the award area during the present season
be instructed accordingly.

In reply, I have the honor to state that on December 15, 1894, a draft
of proposed concurrent regulations for the season of 1895 was trans-
mitted by you to the British ambassador for the approval of his Gov-
ernment. This draft had been jirepared by me and sent to you for this
purpose. Subsequently the British ambassador obtained your consent
to confer directly with me upon the subject, and a number of interviews
were accorded inm by myself and Assistant Secretary Hamlin upon
this matter. He submitted a draft, now in our possession, of proposed
concurrent regulations containing certain suggested improvements over
the draft submitted by myself; after j^reliminary negotiations covering
considerable period of time a draft was finally agreed upon satisfactory
to each of us, the understanding being that I should submit a copy
of the same to the President for his approval and promulgation and
that he, on his part, should forward a copy for the ap])roval of his Gov-
ernment and for insertion in an order in council shortly to be passed.
He stated that it would be necessary to insert the regulations in a new
order in council for the reason that the last order bearing upon the
subject was limited in its operations to the sealing season of 1894.

I accordingly i)resented a copy ot the proposed regulations to the
President, who signed the same, understanding that they received the
approval of the British ambassador and would be forwarded by him to
his Government, as above stated.

While I did not for a moment understand or believe that the British
ambassador had authority or had undertaken definitely to bind his
Government without aformal transmission of the proposed regulations,
yet I had every reason to believe that the draft agreed upon by us would
be promptly accepted by the British Government, or its declination as
promptly communicated. The order in council alluded to by the Brit-
ish ambassador was enacted February 2, 1895. On that date the copy
of said proposed regulations must have been in the possession of the
home Government, as it was given to Sir Julian on January 17 for trans-
mission. I would further call to your attention the fact that in said
order in council a reference is made to arrangements which have been
entered into by the respective Governments, which can only refer to
these ]>roposed regulations and which by necessary implication recog-
nizes the same as valid and subsisting. The preamble of this order
recites that —

Whereas arrangements have been made between Her Majesty's Government and
the Government of the United States for gi\ iug eftect to articles 4 and 7 of the
schednled provisions, and it is expedient that effect should be given to those arrange-
ments by an order in council. * * *

326 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

The word "arrangements" in said preamble, as I liave stated, can
only refer to these proijosed regulations for the season of IbOJ, for no
other agreement or arrangement than that contained in said regulations
has been entered into this year between the respective Governments as
to any of the award provisions, the arrangements for last season having
been by their terms limited to the sealing season of 1894.

It may be pointed out that said order in council related only to the
special license and distinguishing flag; these were, however, the only
matters embraced in said regulations which depended upon the order in
council for their binding force, the remaining x^rovisions being optional
with tlie masters of vessels.

That this word "arrangements " can only refer to the agreement of
understanding upon which said regulations were based on our part is
made clear by the use of the same Avord in the previous orders in coun-
cil of April 30 and June 27, 1894, respectively. In the order in council
of Ai^ril 30, 1894, it is recited —

Until arrangements for giving further effect to articles 4 and 7 of the said sched-
uled provisions shall have been made between Her Majesty and the Government of
the United States, the following provisions should have efi'ect. * * *

Following this order, to wit, on May 4, 1894, the President of the
United States signed and approved regulations for the season of 1894
based upon an agreement made by Sir Julian and myself for the respec-
tive Governments, articles 7 and 8 of which j)rovided for a special
license and distinguishing flag.

The order in council following on June 27, 1894, contains this signifi-
cant language :

And whereas arrangements have been made for giving further etfect to the said
articles and for regulating during the present year the fishing for fur seals in accord-
ance with the scheduled provisions. * * *

It thus would seem that the word "arrangements" as contained in
the orders in council of April 30 and June 27, 1894, respectively, could
only mean the i)reliminary agreement upon which were based the regu-
lations of 1894; this agreement was expressly limited by its terms to
the sealing season of 1894. It would therefore seem to follow that the
reference to "arrangements" in the order in council of February 2,
1895, could only relate to the agreement as contained in the proposed
regulations approved by the President and transmitted to the British
Government as aforesaid.

While, therefore, it would seem that the British Government by nec-
essary im])lication has ratified and recognized as subsisting the pro-
posed regulations, submitted as above, by the passage of the order in
council of February 2, 1895, I nevertheless recognize that this notifica-
tion and concurrence can at any time be withdrawn upon notice to our
Government. I feel it, however, to be ray duty to express deep regret
that the British Government should have communicated its declination
at this late period of the season after our consuls have been instructed
and our patrolling fleet has sailed under orders based on the assumption
that the i^rivileges afforded by said regulations should be accorded
during the present season as during last season to British as well as to
American vessels. It is to be regretted, also, that the chief reason
assigned for such declination — the seizure of the schooners Wanderer
and Favorite should not have prompted an early refusal to enter upon
preliminary negotiations for new regulations, thus saving much trouble
and uncertainty now apparentlj^ uini voidable. The British fleet engaged
in sealing last season numbered sixty vessels; of those the Wanderer
and Favorite were the only ones seized. Tliese seizures were made

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 327

because of a direct infraction of the regulations of 1894, agreed upon,
as above stated, by both Governments. The Wanderer was seized June
9, 1894, and the Favorite on August 27, 1891. The master of the Wan-
derer before the seizure stated to the boarding officer that all his arms
were sealed up, which upon examination was found to be true.

The Department is unaware that any objection has ever been made
by the British Government because of these seizures until the present
time, and it must express its regret that these facts, in possession of
said Government during all of the preliminary negotiations above set
forth as to the regulations for this season, should only now be brought
forward as a ground for its refusal to adopt concurrent regulations.

In view of this communication from the British Government, it is
presumed by the Department that no British sealing vessel now at sea
has ai)plied, or will hereafter a])ply, for the privilege of having its out-
fit and arms sealed up. The officers of the patrol fleet will, however,
be instructed not to regard the fact that the outfit and arms are not
sealed as evidence in considering whether or not a British vessel has
violated the act of Parliament. Tliey will also be instructed to refuse
to grant this privilege in the future to British vessels. I have to request
that you at once give similar instructions to our consuls in Japanese
and British Columbia ports, and, further, that you request tliat the
British Government shall notify its officers engaged in patrolling the
award area to seal up the outfit and arms of American vessels applying
for this privile.ge, in accordance with sections 4 and 7 of the regulations
promulgated by the President January 18, 1895.

In closing I would further inform you that the instructions already
given our officers as to patrolling the award area during the j)resent
season will not admit of any error or doubt as to the proper scope and
limitation of the act of Congress approved April 6, 1894.
I have the honor, etc.,

The Secretary of State.

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

Treasury Department,
Washington, D. C, June 11, 1895.

Sir: The Department is in receipt of a communication dated Sitka,
May 15, in which the seizure of the British sealing schooner Shelby on
May 11 by Ca])tain ]\[unger, of the United States revenue cutter Cor win,
is reported. Tlie declaration of seizure states that the boarding officer,
Lieut. W, E. W. Hall, "found the following evidence that she was
engaged in sealing uulawfullv: She was found within the area of pro-
hibited waters, latitude 52° 50' 10" north, longitude 134° 10' 58" west,
ATith 124 seal skins on board, and all the implements and outfits for
sealing, including 3 tons of salt, 3 boats, and 7 shotguns and ammunition
for me."

The declaration of seizure ])repared by Captain Muuger and delivered
to the commanding officer of H. M. S. Pheasant states that the vessel
was seized for disregarding the proclamation of the President of tlie
United States and the act of Congress, April 6, 1894. From an examina-
tion of the report of Captain Munger it would appear that the seizure
was made on the ground that there was cause to believe that said ves-
sel had killed fur seals within the award area during the closed season,

328 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the reason of such belief being found in tlie possession by the vessel of
seal skins, implements, and ontflts, together with salt, shotguns, and
ammunition.

On receipt of said report, Captain Hooper, commanding officer of the
patrolling fleet, was reminded that the act of Congress of A})ril 6, 1894,
was applicable only to American vessels. He was also directed, if on
investigation he found that said vessel was seized on tlie charge of
illegal killing during the closed season, to instruct Captain Hunger to
deliver to the commanding officer of H. M. S. Pheasant an amended
declaration of seizure, assigning as the cause the violation of the second
article of the regulations of the Paris award, as set forth in the sched-
nles annexed to the British act of Parliament known as the Bering Sea
award act of 1894.

In this connection the receipt signed by the commander of H. M. S.
Pheasant is called to your attention :

Sitka, May 13, 1S95.

In accordance with the provisions of section 12, article 9, of the Bering Sea fisli-
eries award, I have tliis day received from C. L. Hooper, captain, U. S. R. C. S., com-
manding Bering Sea fleet, tlie British schooner Shelby, of Victoria, British Coliimhia,
C. CLissen, master, with her taclxle, furniture, cargo, and documents, seized by tlie
United States revenue steamer Corivin, Capt. F. M. Hunger, commanding, for viola-
tion of the acts of Congress and of the British Parliament regulating the fur-seal
fisheries.

Frank A. Garforth,
Lieutenant, Royal Kainj, Commandhuj H. B. M. S. PJieasant.

I have the honor to suggest for your consideration the expediency of
obtaining the consent of the British Covernment to the appointment
of counsel to represent the United States Government in condemnation
proceedings against the Shelby and such other British vessels as may
be seized this season by the United States officers for violation of the
regulations of the Paris award. I believe that such action would greatly
assist in the ])roper enforcement of the award provisions. In this con-
nection I would suggest the advisability of notifying at once the British
Government that the declaration of seizure will be amended to the end
that the libel in admiralty may set forth the breach of the British aet of
Parliament known as the Bering Sea award act of 1894.
I have the honor, etc.,

The Secretaey of State.

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

Department of State,

Wafihingtou, May 23, 1895.

Sir: Referring to your letter of the 30th ultimo, I have the honor to
inclose for your information a copy of a dispatch from the consul at Vic-
toria reporting that the commander in chief of that station ordered the
release of the schooner Wamlerer, having reached the conclusion that
no case could be made out against the vessel.

The collector of the port informed the consul that the Government at
Ottawa instructed him to take no official action in the matter.
I have the honor, etc.,

Edwin V. Uhl,
Acting Secretary.
The Secretary of the Treasury.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 329

[luclosure.]

CONSUr.ATE OF TIIK UNITED STATES,
rictoria, British Columbia, May 13, 1895.
Sir: In reply to yonr rlispatrh, No. 19, of the 4tli instant, received to-day, inclosing
copy of letter from' tbo Tieasnry Department reqnestinj>- information with respect to
the'final disposition of the sealing schooner Wanderer, seized dnring the sealing sea-
son, 1894, I beg leave to inform the Department that the said schooner was released
l>y the eomniunder in chief of the Pacific station, Admiral Stephenson, of H. M. S.
li'oyal Jrlhiir.

This schooner was seized by the U. S. S. Concord by reason of the fact that one
nusealed gnn was fonnd in one of her berths.

She was turned over to 11. M. S. Pheasant and brought to this port. Upon investi-
gation it was fonnd that all her other guns and her entire armament were sealed, and
that her master was not aware and had no knowledge that there was a gun aboard
unsealed in violation of the inovisions of the Paris award.

Collector A. R. Milne, of this port, and from whom I get this information, advises
me that his Government at Ottawa instructed him to take no official action whatever
in the matter, and that the commander in cliief of tliis station, after careful investi-
gation, and acting under legal advice, ordered the release of the schooner, the con-
clusion having been reached that no case could be made ont against her.
I am, sir, etc.,

W. P. Roberts, United States Consul.
Hon. Edwin F. Uhi.,

Assistant Secretary of State, Wasliington, I). C.

Treasury Department,
Wasliington, D. C, June 12, 1895.

Sir: I have the Honor to acknowledge the letter dated May 23, from
the Acting- Secretary of State, inclosing for my consideration a com-
munication from the United States consul at Victoria, British Columbia,
to the etfect that the British sealing schooner Wanderer, seized June 9,
1894, in the North Pacific Ocean by the commander of the United States
cruiser Concord and formally delivered to the commander of H. M. S.
Fhcasanf, was subsequently taken to Victoria and released by Admiral
Stephenson, of H. M. S. Boyal Arthur.

It is further stated in said communication that upon investigation it
was found that all the guns of the Wanderer except one were secured
under seal; that her master had no knowledge that there was a gun on
board unsealed, in violation of the provisions of the Paris award, and
further, that the "commander in chief of this station, after careful
investigation, and acting under legal advice, ordered the release of the
schooner, the conclusion having been reached that no case could be
made out against her."

The Department also understands that the sealing schooner Favorite,
seized in Bering Sea August 24, 1894, by the commanding officer of
U. S. S. Mohican, was similarly released on being turned over to the
British naval authorities. I deem it to be my duty to call to yonr atten-
tion this action of the naval authorities of Great Britain, with the sug-
gestion that it is not in accord with evident intent and spirit of tlie
legislation enacted by the respective Governments for carrying out the
provisions of the Paris award.

These vessels were seized under authority of the order in council of
the British Government dated April 30, 1894, authorizing United States
officers duly commissioned and instructed by the President to seize any
British vessel which has violated the Paris award regulations, as con-
tained in the act of Parliament known as the Bering Sea award act,
1894, and bring her for adjudication before any British court of admi-

330 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

ralty, or iu lieu tliereof to deliver her to any British oiBcer for adjudi-
cation before the court.

The plaiu spirit and intent of the law wonld seem to require pro-
ceedings in admiralty for condemnation and forfeiture of every vessel
seized by the United States officers and delivered to the British author-
ities as aforesaid. In the cases iu question, liowever, it would apj)ear
that Admiral Stephenson, in discharging said vessels, took uj)on himself
to decide a question which, under the law, could i^roperly be decided
only by a British court of admiralty.

The evidence in the case of the Vy^andercr clearly would seem to
justify the suspicion and belief that some, at least, of the 400 seal skins
found on board had been taken during the prohibited season by means
of shotguns, in violation of the award regulations and of the British
and American law.

In the case of the Favorite 1,230 seal skins were found on board,
together with a shotgun whose barrel was partly cut oft", but leaving
about 12 inches. It was found that it would shoot accurately for a dis-
tance of 50 yards.

The causes particularly assigned for these seizures, the carrying of
firearms unsealed, taken in connection with the fact that such weapons
were forbidden then and there to be used, and that there were also
found seal skins on board, would plainly justify the belief that said
firearms had been used in violation of article 6 of the award as con-
tained in the Bering Sea award act of 1891 (British) and the act ot
Congress, April G, 1891 (American). That the notices of seizure, as
prepared by the Taiited States seizing officers, do not, with particularity,
specify the illegal use of these weapons, but rely chiefly upon their
presence on board unsealed, clearly would not prevent such use being-
proved in subsequent ])roceedings in court of admiralty for condemna-
tion and forfeiture, said notices being merely to acquaint the authorities
to whom the ships are turned over of the seizure and of the particular
offenses relied upon for maintaining a libel in condemnation proceedings.
It would seem perfectly clear that additional breaches of the law could
be assigned and made the subject of condemnation proceedings at any
time before the trial took place.

The instructions issued by the British Government to the commanders
of its cruising vessels for the season of 1891 would, it is submitted,
have imposed upon such officers under similar circumstances the duty
of vseiziug these vessels. Said instructions, in pare, were as follows:

If yon are satisfied that a vessel lias huuted contrary to the act you ^vill seize
her. * * * Whether the vessel has been engaged iu hunting yon must jndge from
the presence of seal skins or bodies of seals on board and other circumstances and
indications. (See Senate Ex. Doc. 67, p. 116, Fifty-third Congress, third session.)

In the case of the Wanderer, the master gave his guns and ammuni-
tion to the commander of the United States cruiser Yorltoicn, to be
secured under seal. Later in the same day he was boarded by the
cruiser Concord, and stated tliat the guns and ammunition sealed up by
the Yorlto/rn was all he had on board. After a search, however, a
breech-loading shotgun and a bag of loaded shell were found concealed
in the extreme forward part of the vessel under a pile of iron cans
between decks. While the officer was making an entry in the log book
as to this weapon the master of the vessel was heard to say to the
mate, "God damn it, I told you you ought to have had that put in with
the others,'' or words to that effect. This deception of the master,
together with the concealed weapons, the presence on board of seal skins,
and other suspicious evidence revealed on search, clearly should have

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 331

been submitted to a court of admiralty iu condemnation proceedings.
I respect iully call these facts to your attention, with the suggestion
that a formal protest against said action of the British naval authori-
ties be communicated to the British Government, with the request tliat
in future every vessel seized by United States officers shall be proceeded
against for condemnation in tlie admiralty court having jurisdiction in
the j)remises

I have the honor, etc.,
The Secretary of State.

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.

Treasury Department,
Wash>)i<jlo>t,, 1). C, June 12, 1895.

Sir: I have received a copy of the communication of the British
Foreign Office to the British ambassador of the 17th ultimo, in answer
to his dispatch of January 24 last, conveying the i)roposition of this
Government for the appointment of an international commission by the
Governments of the United States, Great Britain, Russia, and Japan,
respectively, for investigating the fur-seal tisheries of theKorth Pacific
Ocean, and, pending a report of said commission, for a modus vivendi
])rohil)iting sealing in Bering Sea and extending the regulations of the
Paris award along*the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude to the shores
of Asia.

Tlie communication opens with the proposition that our Government,
because of its contention before the Paris tribunal that the Asiatic and
American fur-seal herds are distinct and do not commingle, can not
now with propriety draw any inference as to the other effects of pelagic
sealing on the American fur-seal herd from figures indicating increased
catches over previous seasons in the total of seals killed on the Asiatic
and American sides of the iS^orthern Pacific Ocean. The claim is fur-
ther advanced that although the catch of fur seals duriug last season
on the Asiatic side was greater than in any previous year, yet the catch
talvcn from the Americau herd — that is, within the Paris award area —
while admittedly larger than in most previous seasons, was, in fact, not
as large as that of the season of 1891. Our Government is further
reminded therein tliat the success or failure of the regulations estab-
lished by the Paris tribunal must be judged " solely by their effect on
the herd which they were intended to protect."

I have the honor to re])ly that during the hearings before the Tri-
bunal of Arbitration at Paris it was earnestly contended by counsel
representing Great Britain that the Asiatic and American herds did
commingle. That fact was disputed by the American counsel in the
ligiit of the evidence before them. The tribunal, however, was not
called upon to make any definite finding upon this important question.
Wliile I do not wish to be understood as expressing any opinion upon
the subject, yet, in view of the admission contained in said communica-
tion, in which I cordially join, that "our knowledge of seal life is still
far from complete," I feel that the question as to whether said herds
intermingled requires most careful consideration and study. It has
been suggested that the American herd seal, even if not naturally com-
mingling with the Asiatic herd, may have been driven over to Asiatic
shores by incessant slaughter during the past seasons. If such be
found to be the fact on careful investigation — which investigation is

332 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

unfortuiiate]y refused by the British Governinent — it might appear that
the total slaughter of fur seals on both sides of the North Pacific Ocean
has a more intimate connection with the present condition of the
American fur-seal herd than is now admitted.

However this may be, the British Foreign Ofiflce seem to have fallen
into the serious error of assuming that the proposition of the United
States Government, contained in your letter of January 23 last to the
British ambassador, was purely selfish in its character, having applica-
tion only to the material interests of the United States Government in
the American far-seal herd. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It is to be presumed that the President in said letter was actuated by
the desire to protect the fur seal fisheries on both sides of the North
Pacific Ocean, Asiatic as well as American, for the benefit of mankind.
Incidentally this would result in benefit to the interests of the United
States; but the i)roposition was founded on broad humanitarian prin-
ciples, no especial benefit being sought save what would accrue to all
mankind from the proper regulation of these valuable fisheries. A
proposition of similar nature, but limited to Bering Sea, was made by
Secretary Bayard to our ministers in England, Japan, Eussia, Sweden,
and Norway for formal transmission to the respective Governments as
far back as 1887. Subsequently, at the request of Lord Salisburj^, the
British minister of foreign aflairs, its scope was broadened so as to
embrace the whole Northern Pacific Ocean from the Asiatic to the
American shores north of the forty-seventh degree of north latitude.
Unfortunately the British Government withdrew its approval of this
arrangement. (See letter of White to Bayard, June 20, 1888.)

The closed season established by the Paris award has induced many
sealing vessels to go over to Japan and Russian waters, thus causing a
startling increase in the pelagic slaughter off these shores. The figures
given in said communication include only the slaughter in Japan waters ;
adding the seals killed in Russian waters we have a total of over 73,000
in 1893 and over 79,000 in 1894. It was to regulate the killing in these
waters as well as in American waters that the proi)osition contained in
said letter of January 23 was made.

But even if we assume that the American and Asiatic herds are dis-
tinct and have never com mingled, the fact still remains that the slaughter
of the American herd during the past season has been greater than any
season in the history of pelagic sealing. The communication of the
Foreign Oftice states that about 12,500 fewer seals were killed in the
award area in 1894 than in 1891. It is suggested, however, that their
computation of seals killed in Bering Sea in 1891 (29,146) consisted
partly of seals taken on the western side of the sea in the vicinity of
the Russian seal islands, while the figures for the catch in said sea in
1894 (31,585) included only seals killed on the eastern side of the sea,
embraced within the area of the Paris award.

It is a matter of history that after the promulgation of the modus
Vivendi of June 15, 1891, between the dates of June 29 and August 15,
41 British vessels were warned out of the American side of Bering Sea
by American cruisers (see report of British commissioners in report ol
Paris tribunal). Of these vessels so warned it is believed that many
went over to the Russian side of Bering Sea and made catches there.
From statistics in the possession of this Department it would appear
that about 8,432 seals were taken ; of these G,G1G by British vessels and
1,816 by American vessels. There should be deducted, therefore, from
the British figures 6,616, leaving about 23,000 as the catch of said ves-
sels in the award area in Bering Sea during the season of 1891. (A

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 333

similar result (23,041) was readied by deducting from the catch stated
iu Consul Myers's report, 28,605 (United States counter case), the
number of 5,847, estimated to have been killed off the Russian Coast.
This estimate was reached after a careful examination by an expert of
all the catches of 1891 and by affidavits scattered through the case
and counter case of the United States and Great Britain.)

The number of seals stated by this Government to have been killed
in Bering Sea during 1891 (23,041) does not include any caught by
American vessels during that season, for the reason that the expert
who prepared the figures could not obtain exact information on this
question. Other statistics now in the possession of the Department
indicated that 6,736 seals were killed in Bering Sea, from the Asiatic
to the American shores, by American vessels in 1891 ; subtracting from
this total 1,816 seals supposed to have been killed in Russian waters
and we have as a result 4,920; adding this to 23,041, the total number
of seals killed within the American area in Bering Sea for the season
of 1891 falls below 28,000.

The communication of the Foreign Office states the total catch of
American and British vessels within the award area in 1891 as 68,000.
This Department is in the possession of a careful computation, prepared
by an expert of the catch for 1891, based on a careful study of all the
evidence as disclosed in the case and counter case of both Govern-
ments. This estimate places the number of seals known to have been
killed within the award area at 45,000, leaving about 16,000 undeter-
mined. Taking, however, the figures as given by the Foreign Office,
68,000, and subtracting the number supposed to have been killed in
Russian waters, 8,432, we have left 59,568 as the maximum catch within
the award area for that season.

The official statement of the catch for 1892, contained in the report
of the Canadian department of marine and fisheries, credits 14,805 out
of a total of 53,912 to the Asiatic shores ; the report for 1891 gives only
the total of 52,995, crediting none to Russian waters; nor does the
report of the British commissioners of the catch of 1891 give any num-
ber as killed in said waters. It is respectfully suggested that to this
extent these reports are in error.

In computing the catch of 1894 the Foreign Office states that 55,602
seals were killed within the award area, including 17,558 as the catch
of American vessels. It should be remembered, however, that in my
communication to Congress, from which the totals contained in the let-
ter of January 23 to the British ambassador were taken, 6,836 skins
taken by American vessels were stated as undetermined as to location.
Assuming that they were divided as between the American and Asiatic
herds in the same proportion as the other skins landed during the
season of 1894 at American ports by United States vessels, we should
have the total catch of American vessels within the award area 55,686 -f
6,152, making a total of 61,838. This total justifies my repeating the
statement contained in previous letters to you that the pelagic catch
within the award area last season was the largest in the history of
pelagic sealing, the nearest approximation being the season of 1891, in
which, even on the theory of the British figures, not exceeding 59,568
seals were taken. The significance of this catch of 1894 will be better
appreciated when it is understood that only 95 vessels were emi)loyed,
as against 115 in 1891.

It is further contended in said communication that the increased
catch, with proportionately fewer vessels, indi(;ates an increased num-
ber of seals in 1894 as comi)ared with 1891, and consequently a better

334 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

condition of the fur-seal herd. When, however, the startling decrease
of seals on the Pribilof Islands, j)ronounced by experts to be at least
one-half since 1890, taken in connection with the great destruction of
pups from starvation on the islands last season caused by the slaughter
of their mothers at sea is considered, it will appear conclusively demon-
strated that the increased catch is but a measure of the increased inef^
ficiency of the crews employed as hunters on the sealing vessels and
that the seal herd is rapidly diminishing in numbers and is in danger
of speedy extermination unless changes are made in the regulations
established by the Paris award.

It is correctly stated by tlie Foreign Ofiice that the catch in the
award area of last season outside of Bering Sea was less than during
the season of 1893. It should be remembered, however, that it falls
only a little short of the catch of 1893, and that it was taken during
the four months, January to April, while the catch of 1893 was taken
during the seven months, January to July. Unquestionably, however,
the prohibition in the award regulations of pelagic sealing during the
months of May, June, and July was calculated to do much good to the
herd, and some fa^vorable results might naturally have been expected
on the islands. After, however, the sealing fleet had entered Bering
Sea the startling increase in dead pups (by accurate estimate about
20,000) found on the islands revealed unmistakably the fatal defect in
the award regulations in opening Bering Sea to pelagic sealing.

The raarvelously increased efficiency of the pelagic seal hunters in
the use of the shotgun and spear, as shown by the enormous catches of
late years, especially of last season, under said award reguhitions, will,
in ray judgment, speedily deplete the fur-seal herd. The pelagic
catches must soon decrease in like degree with that necessitated in the
land catches on the Pribilof Islands. Reports at hand of the coast
catch of the season of 1895 would seem to indicate that this condition
has already been reached. It is to be presumed, however, that for
some few years the i^elagic slaughter of Bering Sea — the great nursery
of the fur-seal herd — can be maintained at figures approximating or
even exceeding those of last year. That such slaughter as has taken
place within tiie last year — largely of nursing females — gives conclu-
sive evidence that the regulations as established by the Paris award
area are not giving that measure of protection that the arbitrators
intended, can not, it is respectfully submitted, be longer seriously denied.
Commercial extermination of the fur-seal herd, Asiatic as well as Amer-
ican, is imminent. It is to be deeply regretted, therefore, that the
British Government has declined our proposition for the appointment
of an international commission and for the suggested modus vivendi.

The suggestion, however, is made by the Foreign Ofiice that resident
agents be appointed by the United States and Great Britain, to be sta-
tioned on the Pribilof Islands, to investigate jointly during the next
four years and to report from time to time as to the condition of the
fur-seal fisheries. The appointment of similar agents on the Com-
mander Islands is also suggested.

While I believe that this suggestion of the British Government is
inadequate and will not satisfactorily supply the need of an interna-
tional commission of scientists, yet I am disposed to favor a new
proposition to said Government, based largely on their suggestion, as
follows: That three agents be appointed by Great Britain, Eussia,
Japan, and the United States, respectively, twelve in all, who shall be
stiitioned on the Kurile, Commander, and Pribilof islands, respectively;
that they be instructed to examine carefully into the fur-seal fishery

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 335

and to recommend from time to time any suggestions as to needed
changes in tlie regulations of the Paris award, and desirable limita-
tions of the land catches on each of said islands; that witliin four
years they shall i^resent a final report to their respective (xovernments,
and that, pending said report, a modus vivendi be entered into extend-
ing the award regulations along the line of the thirty-lilth degree of
north latitude from the American to the Asiatic shores.
I have the honor, etc.,

J. G. CAKL18LE, Secretary.
The Secretary of State.

Department of State,

Washington, June 35, 1895.

Sir : I have the honor to inclose for your information, and considera-
tion a coi)y of a dispatch, ISTo. 450, of the litli instant, from the United
States ambassador at London, in regard to British legislation in refer-
ence to sealing in the North Pacific Ocean.

You will observe that Mr. Bayard, for the purpose of better comr>ar-
ing the pending bill with the act of 1893, which it is intended to replace,
incloses a copy of the act last mentioned and also of the merchant
shipping act of 1894, which is recited and referred to in the act now
projiosed.

I have the honor, etc.,

The Secretary of the Treasury.

EicuARD Olney.

[Inclosiire.]

Embassy of the United States,

Loiido)!, June 14, 1895.
Sir: I have to-day obtained and have now the honor to inchise herewith copy of
the proposed hill regulating- sealing in Bering Sea and other parts of the Pacific
Ocean adjacent to Bering Sea. For the purpose of better comparing this bill with
the act of 1893 (which it is intended to replace), I also inclose herewith a copy of the
act last mentioned and also of the merchant shipping act of 1894, which is recited
and referred to in the act now j)roposed.

Since obtaining these copies but little time is left before the mail closes for criti-
cism of the proposed moditicatious in the phraseology of the act of 1893, and I defer
comments thereon at this writing.
I have the honor, etc.,

T. F. Bayahd.
Hon. Edw IN F. Uhl,

Acting Secretary of State,

July 3, 1895.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communi-
cation of June 25, inclosing a copy of dispatch No. 450, of the 14th
ultimo, from the United States ambassador at London, in regard to pro-
posed British legislation with reference to sealing in the North Pacific
Ocean. I have further to acknowledge the inclosures therein, namely,
a copy of the said x>roposed act, seal fishery (North Pacific) act, and of
the merchants' shipping act of 1894.

I have carefully read the same, and desire to call to jonr attention
the significant omission in said pending bill of the sixth clause of the

336 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

first section of the seal-fishery (North Pacific) act of 1893, which expired
by limitation on the 1st instant, and for which the present pending bill
is to be substitnted. This clause is as follows:

If during tbe period and within the seas specified by the order a British ship is
found liaving on board thereof fishing or shooting iniiileiuents, or seal skins, or bodies
of seals, it shall be on the owner or master of such ship to prove that the ship was
not used or employed in contravention of this act.

A similar provision was contained in the seal-fisheries (Bering Sea)
act of 1891, upon which the modus viveudi of 1891 and 1892 was founded,
clause 5 of section 1 of which provided as follows :

If a British ship is found within Bering Sea having on board thereof fishing or
shooting implements, or seal skins, or bodies of seals, it shall be on tbe owner or
master of such ship to prove that the ship was not used or employed in contraven-
tion of this act.

Inasmuch as the pending bill expressly states that its provisions shall
not be in derogation of the provisions of the Bering Sea award act of
1894, but in addition thereto, this omission is significant and becomes
of the utmost importance.

Under the Bering Sea award act of 1894, enacted to carry out the
provisions of the Paris award, the subject-matter of orders in council is
strictly limited to provisions for carrying into efi'ect the schedule pro-
visions (that is, the Paris award and the merchants' shipping act), and
for giving the necessary authority to United States of^cers to seize
British vessels which have violated the award provisions.

The scope of such orders in council as may be issued under said act
is also limited to the area designated in said award.

The seal-fishery (North Pacific) act of 1893, however, extends the
scope of the orders in council to all of the Pacific Ocean and Bering
Sea north of the forty-second parallel of latitude, and, further, gives
the widest latitude to said orders as to limitations, conditions, qualifi-
cations and exceptions, which appear to Her Majesty in council expe-
dient for carrying into effect the object of this act as expressed in the
title, "For prohibiting the catching of seals at certain periods in Bering
Sea and other parts of the Pacific Ocean adjacent to Bering Sea."

If, therefore, the pending bill should reenact the clause above quoted,
in which the presumption of illegality is drawn from the presence of
implements or seal skins on board, it would be possible by subsequent
orders in council to bring the British law into harmony with that
enacted by Congress upon this question, to which I have had the honor
in previous communications to call to your attention. Should, however,
the pending bill become law with said clause omitted, I fear that it may
prove a source of embarrassment in the effort to properly enforce the
provisions of the Paris award in the future. I have the honor to request,
if such course be approved by you, that our ambassador at London be
instructed to present tliese views to the British Government.
Very resijectfully,

0. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

July 18, 1895.

Sir: Eeferring to my letter to you of the 8th instant, wherein it was
stated that on the 27th ultimo the collector of customs at San Fran-
cisco had reported to the United States attorney at said port the action
of the master of the sealing schooner So])hia Sutherland in taking seals

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 337

«

during the closed season within the limits of the area of the award of
the tribunal of Paris, and without the special license ])roYided for in
article 4 of said Paris award and section 3 of the act of Congress dated
April 6, 1894, and requesting that instructions be given to the district
attorney to proceed promptly in said case and to report the result, I
have the honor to inform you that I have received a letter, dated the
8th instant from the United States attorney with reference to said case
and recommending that no action be commenced against either the
master or the vessel, and that the skins be released to the proper owner.
The basis of the United States attorney's recommendation is that the
skins in question are those of seals secured within the prohibited waters
by members of the crew of the vessel, who during the voyage were
unruly and defiant, and that the action of said members of the crew was
without the knowledge or consent of the master of the vessel or any of
its ofticers. It is stated, also, that the master of the vessel was not
aware that the taking of the seals within the waters referred to was
prohibited, having sailed from San Francisco in January last, and with-
out having been advised of the instructions of this Department in the
premises.

1 would respectfully request that instructions be given by you to the
United States attorney at said port to proceed promptly in said case
and commence proceedings for condemnation of the vessel and for the
statutory fine to be imposed upon the master under section 8 of the act
of Congress of April G, 1894.

Although the district attorney states certain facts which might prop-
erly be considered on a petition for remission of the penalty or forfeit-
ure of the vessel by the Secretary of the Treasury, yet this Department
believes that the necessary steps preliminary to imposing a fine and
condemnation of the vessel should be at once taken. Article 4 of the
regulations of the Paris award provides that every vessel killing seals
within the award area must be provided with a special license. Section
3 of the act of Congress of April 6, 1894, prohibits all seal killing with-
out said special license, and section 8 provides for a fine or imprison-
ment of the master, and also for forfeiture of the vessel oflending. This
statute is peremptory and would seem to admit of no discretion what-
soever. Under the provisions of subsection 2, clause 4, of the British
legislation known as the Bering Sea award act of 1894, it is provided
that if a master uses due diligence to enforce the act, and that the
offense in question was committed by some other person without his
connivance, he shall not be liable to any penalty or forfeiture. There is
no such provision, however, in said act of Congress of April 6, 1894.

I would further say that the State Departjient has filed a formal
protest with the secretary of state of foreign aitairs of Great Britain
because of the action of the British Government in dischargingwithout
condemnation proceedings the two British vessels Wanderer und Favorite
seized by United States officers during last season. It therefore becomes
of the utmost importance that we proceed vigorously against offenders
of our own nationality. Should the court impose a fine upon the master
or declare the vessel forfeited, a petition may then be filed with the
Secretary of the Treasury to remit the fine or forfeiture. The matter
can then be brought to the attention of the State Department and
proper action may be taken.

I would further request that the district attorney be directed to give

to the Secretary of the Treasury and to the Secretary of State due notice

of the trial, in order that the British Government may be notified and

be given an opportunity to appoint counsel to take part in the condem-

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 22

338 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

nation proceedings should it deem such action advisable. Arequest has
already been made by our Government that counsel may be appointed
to represent our interests in similar proceedings in British Columbia.
I have the honor, etc.,

J. G. Carlisle, Secretary.
The Attorney-General.

July 26, 1895.

Sir: Eeferring to my letter to you of the 18th instant in relation to
the case of the sealing schooner Sophia Sutherland., charged with taking
seals during the closed season within the limits of the area of the award
of the Tribunal of Paris, and without the special license provided for
in article 4 of said award and section 3 of the act of Congress dated
Ax)ril 6, 1894, wherein request was made that instructions be given by
you to the United States attorney at San Francisco to proceed promptly
in said case and commence proceedings for the condemnation of the ves-
sel and for the statutory fine to be imposed upon the master, under sec-
tion 8 of the act of Congress of April 6, 1894, 1 have the honor to invite
your attention to the following statement concerning the schooners
Ferhins and Puritan :

On Maj' 11 last the collector of customs at Port Townsend informed
the Department, by wire, that the schooners named, which were licensed
duly, had reported with ten or twelve seal skins, respectively, which
were taken olf Cape Flattery, a distance not exceeding 15 miles from
the shore, and that both schooners were owned and manned entirely
by Indians. The collector stated further that no log books were kept
on said vessels, and he recommended that the entry of the skins be
allowed. On the 15th of the same month the collector was instructed
by wire as follows:

If cases of schooners Perkins and Puritan are not within article 8 of Paris award
and section 6, act of Congress April 6, 1894, report matter to district attorney for
proper ijroceedings nnder sections 8 and 9 of said act.

I have to request that instructions similar to those given to the
United States attorney at San Francisco in the case of the seahng
schooner Sophia Snthcrland be given to the United States attorney for
the State of Washington in the cases of the schooners Terkins and
Puritan, and that he be impressed with the necessity for speedy action
in the premises.

Respectfully, yours,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.
The Attorney-General.

September 7, 1895.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that sealing vessels returning
from the seal fisheries are beginning to arrive at United States and
British Columbian ports.

In view of this fact, I would ask whether the British Government has
as yet replied to the request of our Government to be permitted to send
experts to British Columbian i)orts to inspect the official logs and
to examine all seal skins landed as to sex. Inasmuch, also, as several
American vessels and at least one British vessel have been seized this
season for violation of the award of the Paris Tribunal, I desire to be
informed whether or not the British Government has consented to the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 339

appointment by our Government of counsel to represent m condemna-
tion proceedings for the forfeiture of said offending vessels.

In this connection I would suggest that the question whether joint
regulations for the coming sealing season can be agreed upon by the
respective Governments be determined at once, as vessels will begin to
leave for the sealing grounds early in November, and there will conse-
quently remain very little time in which to agree upon joint resolutions
should such a course be determined upon.
I have the honor, etc.,

C. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

Department of State,
Washington, June 17, 1895.

My Dear Mr, Hamlin: I beg to transmit to you herewith for your
immediate use a copy of a note of the 13th iustaut, from the British
charge d'affaires ad interim inclosing a copy of a minute of the Cana-
dian privy council, which is said to contain the information requested
in a letter of the Treasury Department of the ll>th of January last,
relative to Canadian pelagic sealing in 1893 and 1894.

To complete the record a formal letter of transmittal, signed by the
Secretary of State, purporting to cover these inclosures will be sent to
your Department to-morrow.

I am, my dear sir, very truly, yours,

Alvey a. Adee.

Hon. Charles S. Hamlin.

[Inclosure.]

Newport, Jtme 18, 1895.
Sir: With reference to the State Department note of the 23d .January last, marked
No. 17, requesting certain information with regard to Canadian pelagic sealing in
1893 and 1894, 1 have the honor, acting under the instructions of the Earl of Kimberly,
to forward herewith copy of a minute of the Canadian privy council containing the
information asked for.

1 have the honor, etc.,

Hugh Gough,
Hon. E. F. Uhl.

Extract from a report of the committee of the honorable the 'privy council, approved hy

his excellency on the 26th April, 1895.

The committee of the privy council have had under consideration the annexed
report from the minister of marine and lisheries, dated 20th April, 1895, in connection
with certain information touching Canadian pelagic sealing in 1893 and 1894, which
had been requested by the United States Government.

The honorable committee advise that your excellency be moved to forward a cer-
tified copy of this report, together with its appendices, to the right honorable the
principal secretary of state for the colonies.

All which is respectfully submitted for your excellency's approval.

John J. McGke,
ClerTi of the Privy Council.

340 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

[Annex A to 0. C. 883 J, April 26, 1895.]

Marine and Fishkries, Canada,

Ottawa, April ::0, 18D5.
To His Excellency the Govei{NOR-Genei!al, in Council:

The uiulersignf^d has the honor to revert to au approved minute of council dated
2d April, 1895 (750 J.)-

In referring to a disjiatth from his excellency Her Majesty's ambassador at
Washington, dated 19th February, conveying the request of the United States
Government for certain information touching Canadian pelagic sealing in 1893 and
1894, this minute of council incidentally announced that much of the information
was already in the hands of Her Majesty's Government.

It was also stated that the undersigned had caused steps to be taken to procure
from Victoria, British Columbia, such supplementary information in the direction
indicated as might be obtainable.

The undersigned has now the honor to report to your excellency that he has
received the information asked for, which he appends to this report, together with
the correspondence with the collector of customs at Victoria on the subject, as
follows ;

1. Letter to Mr. A. R. Milne, March 8, 1895.

2. Letter from Mr. A. R. Milne, March 30, 1895, inclosing —
{a) Letter from Mr. J. C. Nixon.

(b) Summary of catch by British Columbia sealing tleet, 1893 and 1894.

(c) Detailed statement of catch in Bering Sea in 1894, showing latitude and longi-
tude where taken and sexes of seals.

(rf) Detailed statement, 1893, showing vessels, tonnage, crews, hunters (whether
white or Indian).

{e) Detailed statement, 1894, showing vessels, tonnage, crews, hunters (whether
white or Indian).

The undersigned would observe that the United States Secretary of State, in his
request for information, desired to be informed whether the skins taken by British
pelagic sealers were examined as to sex, by expert ins|)ectors, as was done in the
case of skins entered at United States ports.

Your excellency will observe, from the appendices to this report, that the under-
signed in seeking the information asked ibr gave considerable prominence to this
point, with the object of elucidating whether any practical benefit was likely to
accrue from such a course, whether or not it had been hitherto practiced.

Information was sought as to the practicability and value of such a means, and
its eflectiveness toward establishing the sex of the animals from which the skins
were taken. Also whether it was considered to be reliable in establishing the sexes
of the seals killed, whether it could be adopted, and whether, in view of the log
records on this particular point, demanded by the terms of the award, such a course,
if i)racticable and effective, would be necessary or useful, even in insuring by the
check it might afford more careful attention to the examination by the masters of
the vessels of the seals killed at sea and the consequent greater accuracy in their
log entries.

From the information elicited on this point, it appears that the skins taken by the
Canadian pelagic sealers were not so examined by expert inspectors at the time of
landing at Victoria and Vancouver.

There also appears to be some ground, on the Canadian Pacitic Coast, for doubting
that the skins landing in San Francisco and Puget Sound ports were examined as to
sex by expert inspectors.

The collector of customs gathers that little credence is given to the statement that
an expert examination of the skins was made, inasmuch as it would be unreliable
and uncertain.

The separation of the female from the male skins at the time of landing must, it
is stated, l)e mainly determined by the teats, which it is well known occur with male
as well as female seals, while a further complication arises from the fact that quite
a number of the females are barren, and the teats on the skins taken from such ani-
mals would not be more prominent than on those taken from males.

Your excellency's attention is also invited to the statement that both in San Fran-
cisco and at Victoria a young, inexperienced lad was engaged by the tirm of Liebes
Bros., the largest furriers on the Pacific Coast, to examine some seal skins which
they were about to purchase (presumably as to sex) and the reported opinions of
reliable sealers and furriers as to the natui-e of such an examination, in view of the
lack of either experience or intelligence by the examiner, requisite to determine the
point.

The undersigned would further refer to the statement in the collector's letter, that
formerly the matter had been the subject of mneh consideration among those inter-
ested in the sealing business, with the result that the opinion prevailed that very

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 341

few exjierts are able to detemiino the sex from an examination of the skins after
they have been salted and mixed.

It seems that all the rules as to the color of the hair, and the whiskers of the ani-
mnla, as well as to the comlition of the fur, have proven unreliable. The positive
assertion is ventured that the only time when the sex can bo correctly determined is
during the operations of skinning the animals, when each pelt could be ticketed.

The collector instances the opinion of the late Mr. Davis, representative in Victoria
of the tirm of Ullman &• Sons, fur dealers, of New York and St. I'aul. This gentle-
man is referred to as possessing expert knowledge in the purchase of furs, particu-
larly seal skins.

In 1891 Mr. Davis met the sealing lleet at its rendezvous off Olitak Bay to transfer
the skins to the steamer Danube i)reviou8 to the departure of the sealing schooners
for the Asiatic waters.

He is rei)resented as having emphatically stated that it was virtually impossible
to distinguish the sexes of the animals from which the skins were taken by the teats
or otherwise, the only sure way being observations during the process of flaying,
although in exceptional cases of very choice skins, the sex might be determined. In
tlie case of barren females, however, the distinction was practically impossible.

A further instance is cited of an exainination in 1892 of about 200 skius at Victoria,
Mr. Macoun of Ottawa, Mr. Munsie of Victoria, and several others failing to deter-
mine the sexes of the animals from which these skins were taken, notwithstanding
they were selected and pronounced by Mr. Koutzouer, an expert for Messrs. Bos-
cowitz & Co., to be the product from male seals. The teats proved to be as promi-
nent as those to be found upon the skins of any female seal.

It is admitted, however, that the pelt of a female seal killed while very heavy with
young may be determined from its peculiar shape.

The collector expresses the opinion that expert examination of seal skins would
be almost impracticable, while its etfectiveness would be uncertain in establishing
the sex of seals from which tlicy were taken'. Hence it would not be necessary or
useful, but he believes that if the sealers, in addition to keeping accurate log entries
as to their fishing operations, were compelled to label or tag each skin as to the sex
of the animal at tlie time of flaying the most reliable evidence obtainable would be
insured.

The undersigned would farther invite your excellency's attention to the statement
that l,0o7 skins were landed in Victoria and sold from the State of Washington,
United States of America, during 1894 which were not examined as to sex by experts.

Also to the letter from Mr. J. C. Nixon, of Seattle, stating that the skins landed at
the Puget Sound ports were not examined by experts.

In the light of the evidence contained in the appendices to this report, the under-
signed is of opinion that such an examination of the salted seal skins when landed
at the home ports would prove of little utility in establishing the sexes of the seals
killed.

The undersigned recommends that a copy of this report, if approved, together with
its appendices, be forwarded to the right honorable Her Majesty's principal secretary
of state for the colonies.

Respectfully submitted.

John Costigan.

[Annex B to O. C. No. 883 J, April 26, 1895.]

Ottawa, March 8, 1SD5.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that a request of the United States Secretary
of State for certain information in respect of the Canadian scaling fleet and their
operations during the seasons of 1893 and 1894 has been communicated to the Gov-
ernment by his excellency Her Majesty's ambassador at Washington.

(1) The total number of seals taken by British vessels in the North Pacific Ocean
and Bering >Sea, both on the Asiatic and American sides.

(2) The total number of skins lauded at British ports by said vessels.

(3) The total number transshipped in Japanese or Russian ports, including any
that may have been ultimately entered at Victoria.

(4) The number of skins landed as entered at Victoria by American vessels.

(5) A report as to the sex of all skins taken in Bering Sea and the North Pacific
Ocean.

(6) Location of the place of catch by latitude and longitude.

(7) The names of all vessels employed, tonnage, number of crew, and number of
seal hunters, indicating wliether whites or Indians.

(8) The further request is made that information may be given as to whether the
sldns taken by the Canadian pelagic sealers were examined as to sex by expert
inspectors, as was done in the case of skins entered in United States ports.

342 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

The honorable the minister of marine and fisheries would bo pleased if you will
obtain the information as aboAe intimated and classified, or such of it as is procura-
ble, and forward it to this department at your earliest convenience.

With regard to section 8, touching the expert inspection of skins when landed,
with a view to determining the sex of the animals from which they were taken, it
is presumed that no measures of this nature have hitherto been adopted at Victoria
or Vancouver.

The department would, however, like to have your opinion as to the practicability
and value of such a means and its effectiveness toward the end in view.

Also, if it is considered to be reliable in establishing the sexes of the seals killed,
whether, in your opinion, it could bo adopted, and whether, in view of the log records
on this point required by the terms of the award, such a course, if practicable and
effective, would be necessary or useful.

It may be that the adoption of an inspection of this character would, by the check
it aftorded, insure more careful attention to the examination by the masters of the
vessels of the seals killed at sea and greater accuracy in their consequent log entries.
I have the honor, etc.,

John Hardie,
Aetbig Deputii Minister Marine and Fisheries.

A. E. Milne, Esq.,

Collector of Customs, Victoria, British Columbia.

[Annex C to O. C. No. 883 J, April 26, 1895.]

Customs Canada,
Victoria, British Columbia, March SO, 1S95.

Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant,
conveying the information that a request had been made by the United States Sec-
retary of State for certain information in respect of the Canadian sealing fleet and
their operations during the seasons of 1893 and 1894, and that such request had been
communicated to the Government by his excellency Her Majesty's ambassador at
Washington.

In compliance therewith, I beg to transmit herewith the information asked for
touching the operations during those two years and are arranged under the following
headings:

(1) The total number of seals taken by British vessels in the North Pacific Ocean
and Bering Sea, both on the Asiatic and American sides.

(2) The total number of skins landed at British ports by said vessels.

(3) The total number transshipped in Japanese or Russian ports, including any
that may have been ultimately entered at Victoria.

(4) The number of skins lauded as entered at Victoria by American vessels.

(5) A report as to the sex of all skins taken in Bering Sea and the North Pacific
Ocean.

(6) Location of the place of catch by latitude and longitude.

(7) The names of all vessels employed, tonnage, number of crew, and number of
seal hunters, indicating whether whites or Indians.

(8) The further request is made that information may be given as to whether the
skins taken by the Canadian pelagic sealers were examined as to sex by exjiert
inspectors, as was done in the case of skins entered in United States ports.

The skins taken by Canadian pelagic sealers were not examined as to sex by expert
inspectors at the time of landing from the vessels at this port or at Vancouver.

A general denial is made that the seal skins were, on being landed at United Stateo
ports — namely, at San Francisco and Puget Sound — examined as to sex by expert
in8])ectors.

No confidence is entertained here in the Ameiican statement made that <an expert
examination of the skins was held, as such would be unreliable and uncertain when
separating the females from the males at time of landing, which could mainly be
determined by the teats of the animals, it being a well-known fact that males have
such as well as females, and quite a number of females have been barren — that is,
have been barren during the season or longer — and the males have teats as prominent
on the skin as the barren females.

Parties interested in sealing state that in San Francisco and here a young, inexpe-
rienced lad was sent by Liebes Bros., the largest furriers of that city, to examine
some seal skins landed which they were about to purchase, but the reliable sealers
and furriers say that such was a jierfect farce, he not having the experience and
intelligence requisite to determine such.

In the past this matter has been the subject of much discussion here among those

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 343

interested in sealing, and tlie consensus of opinion is that very few experts are able
to determine the sex from the skins when they have been salted and mixed, and all
rules as to the color of the hair and the whiskers of the animal or the condition of
the fnr have been found to be unreliable and unsatisfactory, a seal skin lieing split
from the lower jaw to the tail, even the tail itself, which is very sliort, being about
an inch in length, is also split, and the sex can not be determined that way.

It is positively asserted that the only time to determine the sex is while skinning
the animal while fresh, and that masters could then put a ticket on each skin.

Mr. Davis, the representative here of Messrs. Joseph Ullman & Sons, fnr dealers, of
New York and St. Paul, who resided here for a few years, since deceased, and who came
here with expert knowledge in the purchase of skins, particularly seal skins, went
north on the steamer Danube in 1891 to meet the sealing deet which had a rendezvous
off Alitak Bay, to transfer their skins, previous to their departure to the Russian
side, from the schooners to the steamer, to be brought here, emphatically stated that
it was practically impossible to tell the male from the female skin by the teats or
otherwise, and the only sure way, in his opinion, was to see the animal skinned. It
might, however, in exceptional cases of very choice skins be determined by the fur
or whiskers, and to tell a barren female from a male was almost impossible.

Mr. Macoun, of Ottawa, with Mr. Munsie, a shipowner, and others, in 1892 exam-
ined in warehouse here about 200 skins, and they could not determine in that num-
ber the males from the females; and they selected skins said to be males by Mr.
Kautzaner, an expert for Messrs. Boscowitz & Co., and they were found to have
teats as prominent upon them as those found on any female.

It is known, however, that a skin off a female seal that has been killed while very
heavy with young is broader in proportion to its length than the male skin, which is
more oblong.

It is my opinion that an expert examination would be almost impracticable and its
effectiveness uncertain in establishing the sex of the seals killed, and I consider
would not be necessary or useful.

The adoption of an inspection of this character would, no doubt, if reliable and
conducted with certainty, afford a check as to the accuracy of log entries; but this, I
am certain, would not be done at the time of landing without much irritation and
disputation regarding the sex of seals.

I can only therefore say that it appears to me that if the sealers in addition to
keeping their logs accurately as to each day's tishing were compelled to label or tag
each skin as to sex at the time of skinning and splitting the animal, would insure
the most reliable evidence which could be obtained.

I might state that 1,037 seal skins were landed here and sold from the State of
Washington during the year 1894, which certainly were not examined as to sex bj-^
expert inspectors, and those that were landed at other Puget Sound ports you will
see by the inclosed letter I received from Mr. J. C. Nixon, who is largely interested
in the seal industry, that no such examination took place at any Puget Sound ports
during last year or any previous year.

I have the honor, etc. A. R. Milne, Collector.

John Hardie, Esq.,

Acting Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa.

September 10, 1895.

Sir: I have carefully considered the report of Hon. Joliii Costigau
to bis excellency the Governor-General of Canada, containing minute in
council dated April 2, 1895, inclosed in your letter to me of June 17.
Although the inclosures purport only to give certain information asked
for by our Government by letter of January 23, 1895, yet certain state-
ments and denials are contained therein which merit careful attention
and reply by this Department.

In answering in the negative the questions whether the pelagic seal
skins taken by British sealers were examined at the British ports of
entry as to sex (as was stated in our communication to have been done
to all American seal skins entered at United States ports), the collector
of customs at Victoria, British Columbia, in his letter to Mr. Costigan
inclosed in said reijort, enters a general denial that seal skins were
examined as to sex by expert inspectors at San Francisco and Puget
Sound ports. He further states that it is impossible to distinguish the

344 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

sex of seals by inspection after tlie skins linve been salted, and that any
examination at port of entry therefore would be impracticable and use-
less. While this denial of an examination at United States ports was
not called for by any question propounded in yonr letter to the British
Government, yet as it is couched in such a brusque manner and repeated
by the Hon. Mr. Costigan, it would seem to merit a prompt reply by
this Department.

The statement that all skins landed at United States ports during
the season of 1894 were examined as to sex by expert inspectors was
supposed by this Department to be true when it was made in our letter
sent to you. Inspectors were duly appointed for this specific purpose
and instructed to iijakesuch examination, and their returns were on tile
in the Treasury. It was discovered later, however, that at Port Town-
send the inspector although examining and verifying the skins landed,
yet made no examination as to sex. On the receipt of this discovery,
to wit, on February 21, I immediately notified you, with the request
that this fact be communicated to the British Government. I inclose a
copy of this letter. It can only be assumed that the British Govern-
ment in forwarding to you with its tacit approval the report of Mr.
Costigan containing this brusque denial must have overlooked the fact
th it it had in its possession at the time the letter of our Government
fully explaining the matter,

I would further state tliat the Department does not understand the
reference contained in said rejiort to the young and inexperienced lad
employed by Liebes Bros, in the examination of seal skins at San Fran-
cisco. Such an action, if it took place, was wholly unofficial, and had no
connection whatsoever with that made by the tinited States Govern-
ment. The official expert employed by this Dei)artment at San Fran-
cisco is a practical furrier by occupation. He has been engaged
constantly and exclusively for the past eleven years in the fur business,
and has handled large quantities of salted seal skins and all kinds of
raw furs. He was highlj^ recommended by persons well qualified to
judge of his ability, and is a man of great experience. Every seal skin
landed at San Francisco was carefully examined by him as to sex.

As to the further statement contained in said communication, that the
sex of seals can not be determined after the skins have been removed,
I would say that the Treasury Department has consulted experts of rep-
utation upon this question and is informed that any ordinarily intelligent
person at all acquainted with the subject could in at least seven cases
out of ten accurately determine the sex before the skins go to the
dresser. That such is an admitted fact will be seen by reference to tlie
inclosed extracts from the testimony before the Tribunal of Arbitra-
tion at Paris, which I will thank you to return after reading.

I also inclose for your information a copy of a Treasury circular giv-
ing instructions to customs ofilicers as to ascertainment of sex.

I would further state that in a previous communication I requested
you to obtain the consent of the British Government to the appoint-
ment of expert inspectors to examine all skins landed at British Colum-
bian ports. The reason for this request was that there is a great
discrepancy in the British and American returns made by sealers as to
the proportion of females killed, the American sealers reporting a very
much greater proportion than the British. Although in many instances
the British sealers were close to the Americans, yet the Americans
reported from two to five times as many females as males, a result
entirely at conflict with the British returns. Certain masters, more-
over, of British vessels in Bering Sea explained to the agent of the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 345

United states Fisli Connnissioii that the seals -were slviniied in canoes
by Indians and the pelts thrown on board, and that under the circum-
stances they had no time to botlier with inspecting- skins minutely as to
sex. The Department is of opinion that under such circumstances
reports of British sealers are unreliable, and that the proportion of
female skins taken by the Canadian fleet is much greater than that
returned.

This would seem to be corroborated by sworn statements, now in the
possession ofthe Department, of exi)erts who personally inspected in Lon-
don some of the largest consignments of seal skins taken in 1804, and
found that from 85 to 90 per cent of them were females.

The J)epartment is therefore of the opinion that examination by
inspectors of all skins landed at British Columbian ports would greatly
assist in arriving- at a more thorough knowledge of seal conditions, and
I would therefore ask that the British Government be urged to reply
as soon as possible to the request as above already transmitted.
I have the honor, etc.

The SEfiRETARY OF STATE.

0. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary.

Depaetment of State, August 26, 1895.

Sir: I have the honor to inclose for your information translations of
two notes from the Kussian charge d'affaires ad interim at this capital,
presenting the views of his Government on the subject of Department's
note of January 23 last to the British ambassador at Washington con-
cerning the regulation of fur-seal hunting in Bering Sea.
J have the honor, etc.,

The Secretary of the Treasury.

Alvey a. Adee,

Acting Secretary.

[Incloaure.]

Imperial Lkgation of Russia,

Washiuf/tov, Angui^i l-Jahj 26, 1895.

Mr. Secretary of State : The conteuts of the note of Mr. Gresham, late Secretary
of State, to the ambassador of Great Britaiu at Washington, bearing date ofthe 23d
of Jannary last, concerning the regnlation of fnr-seal hunting, has been snbmitted to
the examination of a special connnission, which recognized the necessity of a nniform
rt^ginie for fur-seal hunting on the high seas for all the noithern portion of the Pacific
Ocean, from the coasts of America to those of Asia. To this end the Federal Govern-
ment proposes the appointment of a mixed commission, to be composed ofthe repre-
sentatives of the United States of America, of Russia, of Great Britain, and of .lajian,
whose duty it shall be to examine tliis (|nestion. The Federal Government further
proposes to secure the enforcement of the decisions of the Tribunal of Arbitration
which sat at Paris relative to fur-seal hunting as far as 35"^ north latitude in the
Pacific Ocean, and to prohibit hunting in Bering Sea until the commission shall have
finished its labors.

While accepting, in principle, the suggestion concerning the appointment of the
aforesaid commission, the Imperial Government attaches much greater importance
to the modus vivendi, whereby the decisions of the Tribunal of Arbitration at Paris
are to be enforced in all waters ofthe Pacific Ocean situated north of the thirty-fifth
parallel of north latitude, including the Sea of Okhotsk.

The s])irit of equity which actuates the Federal Government does not permit me to
doubt that Your Excellency will be jileased to agree that the present state of things,
in which the decision of the Tribunal of Arbitration at Paris is enforced only in the
eastern part ofthe Bering Sea, the fur seals in the western part ofthe same sea being

346 ALASKA INDURTRTES.

thus deprived of this protection, should no longer exist. In reality, all the good
measures that have been taken in Bering Sea are paralyzed and productive of no
results i'roni the very fact that the western part is not within the protected zone.

Consequently, the Imperial Government, adhering to its view with regard to the
necessity of establishing a uniform regime for all waters of the Pacific Ocean situated
north of the thirty-fifth parallel of north latitude, is of opinion that it would be
more practical to make no exception in the case of Bering Sea by prohibiting seal
hunting until the termination of the labors of the aforesaid mixed commission, but to
enforce the same uniform rt^gime in that sea to which all waters of the Pacific Ocean
north of the thirty-fifth parallel of north latitude are to be subjected.

In ordering me to convey its thanks to the Federal Government for the kind com-
munication which it has been pleased to make to it, the Imperial Government
instructs me to assure Your Excelleucy of its earnest desire to cooperate in the suc-
cess of the aforesaid suggestions, as of any other suggestion tending to establish a
uniform regime for the regulation of fur-seal hunting on the high seas in all parts
of the Pacific Ocean north of the thirty-fifth parallel of north latitude.

Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary of State, the assurance of my very high con-
sideration.

A. SOMOW.

His Excellency, Eichard Olney,

Secretary of State.

[Inclosure.]

Imperial Legation of Russia,

Washington, Avgust 7-26, 1895.

Mr. Secretary: In herewith transmitting to you a note bearing date of August
7-26, 1895, concerning the regulation of fur-seal hunting, I have the honor to send
you a memorandum containing a statement of the result of the labors of the special
commission instructed to report concerning the contents of the note addressed by
Mr. Gresham, late Secretary of State, to the ambassador of Great Britain at Wash-
ington, under date of January 23, 1895, relative to fur seals.

For my own part, I desire to beg you, Mr. Secretary, to keep this legation informed,
as you have hitherto done, with regard to the development of this question, thus
facilitating a mutual understanding between our two Governments.

Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary, the assurance of my very high consideration.

A. SOMOW.

non. Alvky a. Adee,

Acting Secretary.

[Memorandum.]

Imperial Legation of Russia,

Wasliiiiglou, August 7-26, 1895,

The commission is of the opinion that our principal object, viz, to put a stop to
the extermination of fur seals, could be more successfully attained not by the
appointment of a technical mixed connnission, but by the convocation of a regular
diplomatic conierence whose decisions should be obligatory upon all nations. Other-
wise there is reason to fear that illicit fur-seal hunting will continue under other
foreign flags, such as that of Sweden, of Italy, etc.

The representative of the ministry of finance has made the following remarks
concerning the enforcement of the decisions of the arbitrators at Paris:

(1) It is to be desired that article 1 of these regulations, which prohibits fur-seal
hunting at all times and by all means within a zone of 60 nautical miles around the
Pribilof Islands, should be modified in such a way as to extend the zone in which
hunting is prohibited to 200 miles around the Commander Islands and Fuleuieu
(Robben Islands).

(2) As the Commander Islands are on the boundary line between Bering Sea and
the Pacific Ocean, fur-seal hunting with firearms should be prohibited in all the
Avaters of the Pacific Ocean as far as 35*^ north latitude along the Konsilsky and
Commander islands and the coasts of Japan.

(3) As the fur seals that winter on the Russian islands leave their winter lairs
earlier than those on the Pribilof Islands, the time during which sealing on the high
seas is prohibited should be made to last for the former not until the 1st of May, but
until the 1st of March, or, strictly speaking, until the Ist of April.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 347

All these measures relate exclusively to fur-seal hunting on the high seas, since
hunting on land in Russian territory, viz, on the Commander Islands and Fulenieu,
is under strict inspection, and -the number of seals that are allowed to be killed is
strictly limited.

September 18, 1895.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the communication of the
Acting Secretary of State, dated Angust 26, 1895, inclosing transla-
tions of two notes from the Russian charge d'affaires ad interim at this
capital, presenting the views of his Government on the subject of the
note of your Department of January 23 last, to the ^j;itish embassy
at Washington, concerning the regulations governing seal hunting in
Bering Sea.

Thetirst note inclosed in your communication states that the Russian
Government accepts in principle the suggestion of an international
commission, and agrees to the extension of the Paris award regulations
along the line of the thirty-tifth degree of north latitude to the shores
of Asia, but that it disagrees with our x^ropositiou to close Bering Sea
to sealers pending a report of said commission.

The second note incloses a report of a Russian commission, to which
the whole matter of regulations of fur-seal hunting was submitted. The
commission in its report states that the diiilomatic conference of nations,
obligatory upon all, for the puriwse of regulating the fur-seal fisheries,
would be preferable to an international commission; that a zone of 200
miles should be established around the Commander Islands within
which no sealing should be permitted, and that the use of firearms
should be prohibited north of the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude.
The said commission further reports that " as the fur seals that winter
on the Russian islands leave their winter lairs earlier than those on the
Pribilof Islands, the time during which sealing on the high seas is pro-
hibited should be made to last for the former not until the 1st of May,
but until the 31st of March, or, strictly speaking, until the 1st of Ai^ril."

I have carefully considered said notes, and have the honor to reply
that I do not quite understand the proposition contained in the first,
to the effect that to Bering Sea should be applied the same law as to
tlie North Pacific Ocean north of the thirty-fifth degree of north lati-
tude. I would respectfully ask that you request of the Russian Gov-
ernment an expression of opinion whether it desires the prohibition of
all sealing north of the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude pending
the report of a commission, or simply that the regulations of the Paris
award and the closed season thereof be extended to Bering Sea on the
western as well as the eastern side. Nor do I understand the last sug-
gestion in the second note quoted in full above that the closed season
should last until the 1st of April. At first sight it would seem that
the translator emjDloyed by your Department is in error, and that the
word "after" should be subsituted for the word "until," as under the
Paris regulations the open season lasts from August through April.

I would further state that it appears from the note of Lord Gough to
you, dated August 19, of which a cojDy was sent to me by you on August
28 last, that the British Government refuses to recognize that Russia
and Japan have any interest in the seal fisheries regulated by the Paris
award, and that it can not take part in any inquiry on the Pribilof
Islands in which these powers are associated. I would respectfully
suggest that the Russian Government be informed of this refusal. I
can not see any objection to a diplomatic conterence such as is sug-
gested by the Russian Government as to the fur-seal hunting in the

348 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

western part of the Nortli Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, and feel tliat
much good would result from such a conference.
I have the honor, etc.,

The Secretary of State.

O. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary.

October 3, 1S05.

Sir: I hav«-4.he honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communi-
cation of the 1st instant' in relation to the cases of the three schooners
against which proceedings for violation of the act of April 6, 1894, giving
effect to the award rendered by the Tribunal of Arbitration at Paris,
have been commeuced at San Francisco, and in reply to your inquiry
state that this Department did instruct the collector at San Francisco
on the IGth of April last as to the licensing of vessels clearing froni
his port in the language quoted by you.

Tlie instructions sent to the collector were based upon articles 2 and
4 of the award of the Paris Tribunal and section 3 of the act approved
April G, 1894, giving effect to the provisions of said award. If, in your
opinion, the construction placed upon the articles and section referred
to is incorrect, I would thank you to so advise me, in order that suit-
able instructions maybe sent to the collectors of customs on the Pacific
Coast for their future information and guidance,
llespectfully, yours,

The Attorney General.

W. E. Curtis, Acting Secretary.

November 27, 1895.

Sir: On eTanuary 3 last the schooner ^oie and Anne cleared from
San Francisco for "hunting and fishing outside jn-ohibited waters"
without the special sealing license provided by the Paris award and
the act of April 6, 1894. On May 30 this schooner arrived at Astoria,
Oreg., where she was allowed to land her catch after an examination
of the skins by the collector of the port. The vessel, it appears, tlien
proceeded to San Francisco, where it is believed she is at present. A
copy of the log book of the schooner was forwarded to this Department
by the collector at Astoria, upon examination of which it appeared
that the vessel had taken seals within the award area, and, not having
been provided with a special sealing license, should have been seized,
together with her catch, upon her arrival at Astoria. A letter has
been addressed to-day to the collector at San Francisco, directing him
to take the necessary steps to seize the vessel for violation of the act
above cited, and to report the facts to the United States attorney for
his action. I have the honor to request that the attorney be instructed
to proceed promptly and vigorously in the action against the vessel.
Respectfully, yours,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.

The Attorney General.

' Not funiisbed.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 349

Department of State,
Washington, November 21, 1895.

Sir: The Russian charge d'affaires lias formulated inquiries of wliidi
you spoke to me the other day aud presents them ia the paper herewith
inclosed.

I should be glad of any suggestions from you as to the answers to be
made.
With the answers please return queries and oblige,
Eespectfully, yours,

ElCHARD OLNEY.

Hon. Charles S. Hamlin,

Assistant Secretary of the Treasury,

[Inclosure.]

Russian Imperial Legation, Washington,

Queries:

(1) Was the United States Government aware that in the act of Parliament issued
by the Government of Great Britain iu pursuance of the Boring Sea award act in
1894 was omitted the chiuse 6 of the following regulations on seal fisheries:

"If during the period and within the seas specified by the order a British ship is
found having on board thereof fishing or shooting implements or seal skins or bodies
of seals, it shall lie on the owner or master of such ship to prove that the ship was
not used or employed in contravention of this act."

(2) In considering the best way to protect the seal fisheries the United States
Government thought desirable, pending the investigations of the seal fisheries by a
special commission, to extend the rules of the Paris award to the seal fisheries on the
seas lying to the north of the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude and prohibit
entirely the seal fisheries in the Bering Sea proper.

Is that prohibition of the seal fisheries in the Bering Sea intended for the purpose
of protecting the breeding area of the seal; or has it any other purpose?

November 29, 1895.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communi-
cation of the 21st instant, witli which was inclosed certain inquiries
from the Russian charge d'affaires, concerning the seal fisheries (North
Pacific) act, 1893 and 1895, and certain suggestions on the part of this
Government as to extending the regulations of the Paris award to the
shores of Asia, and in reply to state in answer to said inquiries, and in
the order of their submission:

(1) The United States Government is aware that in the act of Par-
liament known as seal fishery (North Pacific) act 1895, clause 6 of the
earlier act known as seal fishery (North Pacific) act 1893, was omitted.

The Treasury Department on June 25, 1895, received a copy of the
proposed seal fishery (North Pacific) act 1895 from the Secretary of
State, and on July 3, 1895, called attention to this significant omission,
and received from you a copy of your letter of July 8, addressed to
James E. Roosevelt, charge d'affaires at London, in which you expressed
deep regret that the clause referred to should not have been reenacted,
and the earnest liope that some means may be provided yet whereby
this omission may be remedied.

(2) The purpose of this Department in recommending verbally to the
Secretary of State, tlirough Assistant Secretary Hamlin, that the exist-
ing Paris award regulations be extended along the line of the thirty-
fifth degree of north latitude to the shores of Asia, and that in addition

350 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

thereto Bering Sea sliould be closed to seal tishinf? pending the report
of the international commission, was to secure protection for feauale
seals in the breeding- area, as it %Yas demonstrated by indisputable evi-
dence that the female leave their young on the Pribilof Islands, and
frequently are found in search of food and rest hundreds of miles at sea.

Such a prohibition, it is suggested, would be of equal value in pro-
tecting the Russian herd frequenting the Commander Islands, as well
as the herd frequenting the Pribilof Islands.

The communication from the Russian charge d'affaires is returned
herewith, in compliance with your request.
Respectfully, yours,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary op State.

Department of State,

Washington, January 22, 1896.

Sir : Inclosed please find memorandum left with me by the Russian
minister at this capital.

I desire to ask whether there is any other objection to the proposed
remodeling of the convention with Russia of 1894 except tlie obvious
one of the inducements and advantages it would afford to Canadian
sealers.

Could Q-reat Britain's concurrence be secured? Would not an
arrangement like that proposed by the Russian minister be an advan-
tageous one for the United States?
Respectfully, yours,

Hon. John G. Carlisle,

Secretary of the Treasury.

Richard Olney.

[luclosnre. — Translation.]

The fiir-seal herds frequenting the Russian islands in Bering Sea and the Sea of
Okhotsk are throatoned. with complete extermination within a very short period.
Their situation has been doubly bad since the Paris arbitration recognized the right
of America to prohibit maritime hunting within 60 miles of the islands belonging to
her, Avhereas the Russian herds are protncted only within 30 miles of their islands,
without taking into consideration the fact that the entire prohibition of hunting
during several months and the regulation of the weapons employed, also established
by the Paris arbitration, secure to America privileges of such importance that the
poachers prefer to direct their efforts against the Russian seals, which are massacred
in such numbers that the extinction of the race must infallibly result, and the more
80 because the females, which regularly seek food for their young beyond the SO-mile
belt, are the most certain victims of the hunters who lie in wait for them on the high
seas.

In view of the great injury resulting therefrom to the Imperial treasury; in view
of the necessity of preserving the fur-seal race, which constitutes the only resource of
the inhal)itauts of the above-mentioned islands, the Imperial Government, desirous
of remedying this state of affairs, thinks it its duty to represent to the United States
Government that it is urgent to extend the regulations established by the Paris arbi-
tration to all the waters of Bering Sea and. the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as to those of
the Pacific from one Continent to the other down to the thirty-fifth degree of north
latitude.

Stich a provision would be equituble as regards Russia and advantageous to the
two powers, as tiu'ir interests are absolutely identical in this question.

The Imi)crial Government would l)e especially gratified if the time of the close
season could bo made to begin one month sooner and to end one month later.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 351

In return for a remocTeliug of the convention of 1894 in this sense, the Imperial
Government would cooi)erate earnestly with tlie United States Government in its
efforts havinj^ for their object the enlargement of the rcfrulations prepared hy the
Paris arbitration.

January 29, 1896.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communi-
cation of January 22, inclosing a memorandum left with you by the
Russian minister at this capital, and asking- my opinion as to whether
there is any objection to tlie proposed remodeling of tlie convention
with Kussia of 1894, except the obvious one of the inducements and
advantages it would afford Canadian sealers; also, as to whether the
arrangement proj)osed by the Russian minister would be advantageous
for the United States, provided Great Britain's concurrence could be
secured.

I have the honor to reply that I see no objection to the proposed
remodeling of the convention with Russia of 1891 other than the one
mentioned to you. It is my farther belief that it would be for the
distinct advantage of the United States if the existing regulations
provided by the Paris Tribunal were extended so as to embrace all the
waters from the Asiatic to the American shores in the North Pacific
Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk, and Bering Sea north of the thirty-fifth
degree of north latitude.

Under the terms of the Paris award the killing of fur seals is prohib-
ited during the three months of May, June, and July. In practice the
sealers start out early in January and hunt seals along the coast of the
United States and British Columbia until the closed season begins on
May 1. Between January and May they are tlius able to take seals,
but on account of the inclemency of the weather the catch is necessarily
restricted. Sealing can not be lawfully carried on after May 1 until
the 1st of August. At this time the fur-seal herd has left the North
Pacific Ocean and is in Bering Sea. The masters of sealing schooners
have, however, learned by experience that they can spend the months
of May, June, and July sealing on the Russian and Japan coasts and
procure good catches, after which they can reach Bering Sea in time to
hunt during the month of August, when sealing is again permitted
under the Paris award regulations. If, however, the Paris award regu-
lations should be extended so as to embrace the Asiatic shores, there
could be no sealing whatsoever in the North Pacific and Bering Sea
between May 1 and August 1. This would undoubtedly oi)erate to
make it more expensive to maintain a sealing fleet, and would probably
result in a large falling off of the number of pelagic sealers. In this
connection I would respectfully call to your attention the suggestions
made by Hon. James C. Carter, to the effect that pelagic sealing be
absolutely forbidden to American citizens, for the reason that such seal-
ing (as was contended before the Paris Tribunal) is cruel and inhuman,
a large portion of the seals killed being females heavy with young. His
suggestions will be found in a letter of the late Secretary Gresham
to Ambassador Bayard of October 6, 1893, which is No. 14 in Senate
Executive Document No. G7, Fifty- third Congress, third session.

As regards the further suggestion of the Russian minister, that "the
Imperial Government would be specially gratified if the time of the closed
season could be made to begin one month sooner and to end one month
later," I have the honor to state that I approve such a suggestion as
being a step in the right direction.

352 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

The minister further makes reference in his communication to the
30-mile zoue failing properly to protect the Russian seals, from the fact
that the females seek food for their young beyond the 30-mile belt. This
statement is undoubtedly true. In fact, the 60-mile zone established
around the Pribilof Islands does not satisfactorily protect the seal herd.

I have the honor to inclose a memorandum, showing in detail the
location of the catches of 7,879 seals killed during the past season in
Bering Sea, from which it appears that female seals were killed as far
as 600 miles from the 60-mile zoue.

The Department will shortly be in possession of a report from Dr.
Charles Towusend, of the United States Fish Commission, as the result
of special study of this subject last summer in Bering Sea. Should you
desire further information upon this subject this report will be sent
to you.

Very respectfully, J. G. Carlisle,

Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

FeeruaryIO, 1896.

Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith for transmission to Her
Majesty's Government, in compliance with the provisions of article 5
of the award rendered by the Tribunal of Arbitration at Paris, two copies
of the entries made in their respective log books by the masters of
American pelagic sealing vessels during the season of 1895. I would
respectfully request that you obtain from the British Government as
soon as possible the returns of the British sealing vessels for the same
period.

Respectfully, yours,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

Department of State,

Washington, February 8, 1896.

Sir : I beg to inclose draft of preliminary arrangements between Rus-
sia and the United States submitted by the Russian minister at this capi-
tal, the same to take effect only when adherence of Great Britain is
procured.

Do you see any objection to the United States acceding to such an
arrangement?

Awaiting reply at your earliest convenience, 1 am, respectfully, yours,

Richard Olney.
Hon. Charles S. Hamlin,

Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

February 13, 1896.

Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of February 8
inclosing a draft of preliminary arrangement between Russia and the
United States, submitted by the Russian minister, in which you ask

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 353

whether I see any objection to the TJuitetl States acceding to such an
ariaugement.

I have carefully examined the inclosed draft, and while I find certain
portions not perfectly clear I understand the proposals to be:

First. That the prohibited zone around the Commander and Eobben
islands shall be in the future GO miles instead of 30, as now fixed by the
agreement of 1894.

Second. That pelagic sealing shall be wholly prohibited from April 1
to October 15 in Beiing Sea, the sea of Okhotsk, and the Pacific Ocean
north of the thirty fifth degree of north latitude, from the Asiatic to
the American shores.

Third, That Jill existing articles of the arrangement of 1894 not hereby
abrogated shall remain in force.

I perceive no objections to the first and second propositions. 1 he
American herd is now protected under the regulations of the Paris
award during May, June, and July. On July 31, when the season ends,
the herd is in Bering Sea. The proposes! arrangement providing for
closing Bering Sea to fur-seal fishing between April 1 and October 15
would satisfactorily protect our herd, as after October 15 no sealing
vessels could remain in Bering Sea on account of the inclemency of the
weather.

Under the third suggestion, the prohibition of sealing to American
vessels within 10 miles of the Kussian Coast would still continue, as
would also the provision relating to the seizure of American vessels
found hunting fur seals within said prohibited area, outside of Territo-
rial waters, by Eussian naval ofticers, and for condemnation of such
vessels by the courts of the United States. I would suggest that in
order to bring the proposed axrangement into harmony with the terms
of the Paris award the provision as to the 10 mile limit be omitted, and
that til ere should be inserted in the draft a reciprocal provision that
Russian sealing vessels, if any, may be seized by American naval ofticers
and condemned by the Eussian courts for breach of the convention. 1
would further suggest that the Eussian Government should agree to
accept and be bound by all the provisions of the Paris award and the
legislation in respect thereto not abrogated by said proposed draft,
which should be stated to be not in derogation of the award of the Paris
tribunal, except where necessarily inconsistent therewith, but in addi-
tion thereto.

I notice that no suggestion is made as to obtaining the concurrence
of the Japanese Government as to said proposed arrangement. Dur-
ing the past season five Japanese sealers were reported to have engaged
in fur-seal fishing, making a catch of 2, 960 seals. 1 have the honor to
suggest that it might be advisable to obtain the consent of Japan. The
principal injury suffered by the Eussian herd at the hands of pelagic
sealers is while the herd is off the shores of Japan, going north to the
Commander and Eobben islands. For example, in 1894 only a little
over 7,000 seals were killed at sea in Eussian waters, as compared with
over 71,000 taken olf the coast of Japan. In 1895 about the same num-
ber were taken in Eussian waters, as compared with over 29,000 taken
off the coast of Ja])an; and in the same year only six American vessels
report making catches in Eussian waters, to the total amount of 706
skins. In 1894 only 201 skins were reported taken by American pelagic
sealers.

I take pleasure in inclosing a memorandum giving, on page 107,
information as to the catch of seals and other kindred subjects, which
H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 23

354 ALASKA INDIJSTKIES.

is shortly to appear in the Secretary's report. I also return the draft
submitted with your letter of the 8th instant.
Respectfully, yours,

The Secretary of Sta'jb.

0. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary.

Department of State,

Washington, February 34, 1896.

Sir: The inclosed note (in translation) of the Russian minister at
this capital speaks for itself. It seems to me the 10-mile-along-the-coast
arrangement is not material. Do you think it is?

If not, the agreement as approved by the Treasury Department would,
as I understand it, be sufficiently expressed by an instrumeut contain-
ing the provisions shown by a draft herein inclosed.

Please give me your views upon the matter, returning the draft with
such alterations as you deem to be needed.

The Russian minister is exceedingly anxious that no time should be
lost in initiating the proposed negotiations in London. I therefore hope
to hear from you on the subject at once.
Very truly, yours,

Richard Olney.

Hon. Charles S. Hamlin,

Assistant Secretary of the Treasury,

February 26, 1896.

Sir : I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated February
24, inclosing the draft of an agreement between the Russian Govern-
ment and the United States regarding new regulations of the fur-seal
lisheries from the Asiatic to the American shores. You state that in
your opinion the suggestion of the Department regarding the abroga-
tion of the 10-mile zone is not material, and you ask further expression
of opinion from me on this question. In reply, I have the honor to
state that this prohibition, if continued, will prevent American seal-
ing vessels from participating in the fur-seal fisheries within 10 miles
of the Russian and Japan coasts. Such a prohibition, if enforced also
against the British Canadian sealers as well as those of Russia and
Japan, would put the citizens and subjects of all of these nations on
e<iual grounds. I see, therefore, no objection to the continuation of
such prohibition.

In the draft you inclose there is evidently an error as to the closed
season, it being made to read from April 1 to April 15. In the original
suggestion contained in your letter of February 8, the agreement read
from April 1 to October 15, and I assume that those are still the dates
during which total prohibition of fur sealing is desired.

I will also call your attention to the statement in the preamble of the
last draft of agreement, "that the object is to provide that the same
law shall govern maritime hunting of fur seals in the waters frequented
by both the Russian and American herds." This statement should be
omitted, as the suggestion made by the Russian Government modifies,

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 355

at least to the extent of the LO-mile prohibited zone, the reofiilations of
the Paris award.

I take pleasure in inclosing a draft of an agreement which I think
covers the suggestions made by the Enssiau Government.
Very respectfully, yours,

J. G-. Carlisle, Secretary.
The Secretary of State.

[Incloaure.]

xigreement between the Government of tlie United States and the Imperial Govern-
"ment of Russia, supplementary to an agreement of May 4, 1891, relative to the fur-
seal fisheries in Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.

Whereas experience has shown that the provisions of said agreement are inade-
quate to the accomplishment of its purposes, the contracting parties do hereby agree
to add to and supplemeut the same by the provisions following:

1. The extent of the prohibited zone around the Commander Islands and Robbeu
Island shall be 60 nautical miles.

2. Maritime hunting of fur seals shall be wholly prohibited from April 1 to Octo-
ber 15 in Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Pacific Ocean north of the thirty-
fifth degree of north latitude, from one continent to the other.

3. Thesaidagreementof Mayl, 1894, as hereby added to and supplemented, is hereby
declared (except so far as necessarily in consistence therewith) to be in addition to
the regulations of the Paris award and not in derogation thereof; all of which said
regulations, save as herein modified, and the acts of Congress dated April 6 and
April 24, 1895, passed to carry out the regulations of said award, the said Imperial
Government of Russia hereby accepts and agrees to carry into full effect as regards
its subjects.

4. All Russian vessels engaged in hunting fur seals in violation of the agreement
of May 4, 1894. as hereby added to and supplemented, or in violation of the regula-
tions of the Paris award and the acts of Congress dated April 6 and April 24, 1894,
in relation thereto, may be seized and detained by the naval or other commissioned
officers of the United States as provided in said legislation, and all the provisions of
said statutes shall be applicable to Russian vessels and shall be carried out by the
courts of Russia.

5. All the provisions of said agreement of May 4, 1894, not inconsistent with the
provisions of this supplemental agreement shall remain in full force and efiect.

6. The provisions of this supplemental agreement shall be operative and effective
as soon as the British Government and the Japanese Government shall have both
agreed to be bound thereby.

March 6, 1896.
Sir: I have the honor herewith to transmit, for your information and
consideration, copy of a letter dated the 27th ultimo, and of the affida-
vit therein referred to from Mr. H. Liiebes, of San Francisco, Cal., in
relation to the unprotitable condition of the seal-catching business as
conducted by sealing wsclioouers, and protesting against the present
practice of the owners of such vessels in exterminating the seal herds
without resulting pecuniary gain.
Eespectfully, yours,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.
The Secretary of State.

[Inclosure.'l
[H. Liebes & Co., importers of skin.s and niauul'actiirers of fancy furs, Nos. 133, 135, 137 Post street.]

San Francisco, Cal., February 37, 1896.
Dear Sir: Referring to the conversation had with you while in Washington
lately pertaining to the unprofitable condition of the seal-catching business, and
upon your suggestion I now beg to inclose two affidavits covering the same, which,

356 ALASKA INDUSTRIES

if not in the form you desire, can be changed as you may indicate. Should you wish,
several otliers similar and from other parties can no doubt be obtained.

In fact, there will be no difficulty whatever in being able to prove by experts that
the sealing sehoouers are pursuing the business at a loss, and it seeuia outrageous
that they should persist in exterminating the herd without any pecuniary gain. The
only reason they continue in the business is that the vessels so engaged are not tit
for any other purpose, and further in the hope of an advance in the price of seals in
the London market, which can only take place if the seal catch on the Pribilof
Islands be reduced, but if on the contrary the same were increased it would so
demoralize the trade by reducing present prices to such an extent that financially
they would not be able to tit out another season, and this to some extent would solve
the problem and save the seal herd from entire destruction.

It is now an acknowledged fact that sealing in the North Pacific is much more
unprotitable than in the Bering Sea, and would be abandoned entirely if the hunt-
ing could not be successfully coutiuned into the Bering Sea, as the seals taken
therein have a much larger commercial value than those taken in the North Paciiic,
Avhich is accounted for by the same containing quite a number of young male seals,
such as are not taken on the Pribilof Islands, but allowed to go back into the water.
The skins of these young males, as stated above, are valued at very much more than
the skin of the cow seal, and if they (the young males) were taken on the islands
and not allowed to go back into the water to fall into the hands of the poachers,
their catches would be worth considerably less commercially, besides greatly reduc-
ing the quantity they could take.

These facts are borne out by the sworn statements made of the percentage of male
skins contained in the Bering Sea catch of last year, which, I understand, numbered
about 15,0U0, and had the lessees been permitted to take these seals the Government
would have received a revenue on same and the sealers w^ould have been so demoral-
ized that very few, if any, would have fitted out the present season.

I trust I have not encroached upon your valuable time, and if I can be of any
assistance to you please command me.
Yours, truly,

H. LlEBES.

C. S. Hamlin, Esq.,

Assistant Secretary, United States Treasury,

Washington, D. C,

Alexander McLean, being duly sworn, deposes and says : I have been engaged as
captain of sealing schooners for thirteen years last past, and for seven years com-
manded a British sealing schooner sailing from the port of Victoria, British Colum-
bia, and have, while so engaged, hunted for fur seals in the Avaters of the North
Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea; am thoroughly familiar with all the details as to the
cost of such sealing vessels, their outfits, and every expense attached thereto. I am
also fully informed as to the prices fur-seal skins sold for in the London market
each year, and that the price so realized the last two years, taking the average catch
per schooner for the same period of time, has left a loss to the vessel so engaged in
the sealing business, bothAmerican and British, and in consequence of the slaugh-
tering of the cow seals in the past years, I found during vay last cruise to the Nor«h
Paciiic and Bering Sea that the quantity of seals has been so greatly reduced tliat
the average catch per schooner will necessarily be considerable less the coming
season than in the past, so that it will not pay to continue the business, and for the
first time in thirteen years I shall not engage in the same the present season.

Alkxandkr McLean.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 21st day of February, A. D. 1896.
[seal.] Mark Lane, Notary Public.

A. P. LORENTZEN, being duly sworn, deposes and says : That he is secretary and
general manager of the Pacific Trading Company, a corporation existing under the
laws of the State of California; that said company is the owner of the American
schooners Bouanza, Ednard E. Webster, Herman, and Alton ; that said schooners were
engaged in the sealing business during the past two years, hunting fur seals in the
waters of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, and in the same locations visited
by both the American and British Columbia sealing fleets; that said schooners left
this port at the usual time and returned here with their cargoes at the end of each
season; that they were engaged in the taking of fur seals during these respective
seasons, consisting of from eight to nine mouths each year; that the average catches
of said schooners for the past two years were more than the average catches per
schooner of the entire sealing fleet, both American and British, during the same
period; that the catches of seals above referred to were shipped to London and sold

ALASKA INDUSTEIE8. 357

there at pwblic auction in the usual nianiuT, and the amount realized foi- the said
seal skiuH was much below the cost attached to the catching of the same, and iu each
case lelt a loss to the company; that he personally superintended the fitting out of
the above-named schooners for both years above stated; that the same was done as
economically as possible, and at as low a cost as anyone else conld have fitted out
said or similar vessels for, either in this port or in any jiort in British Columbia;
that the parties engaged as hunters, etc, on above vessels were fully competent and
equal to any engaged on any other vessel out of this port or any port in British
Columbia; that during the present year (189G) the schooners Bonanza, Webster, and
/7erii(a« have been withdrawn from the sealing business for the reason that the same
has proven decidedly unprofitable, and for the further reason that there is a ])rospect
that their catches would be decreased in consequence of the diminution of the seal
herd, which would undoubtedly leave a larger loss than in former yeirs; that from
statistics gathered through his own experience in this business in the past years it
is shown that the average cost of each seal taken in the waters of the North Pacific
Ocean and Bering Sea in the usual manner, computed on an average catch of the
entire sealing fleet, is from $10 to $11.50 landed in London; that such cost varies
according to the size of the vessel's catch; that as the per capita catch of these ves-
sels must necessarily be largely reduced from now on the seals so taken will natu-
rally cost comparatively more, making the business of catching seals still more
undesirable and nnprotitable.

In witness whereof the said A. P. Lorentzeu has hereunto set his hand and seal
this 20th day of February, 1896.

A. P. LORENTZKN.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of February, 1896.

Henry B. Madison, Notary Public.

March 6, 1896.

Sir: I have the honor to state for your iuformation that in the last
annual report of J. B. Crowley, special agent in charge of the seal
islands, it appears that by actual count 28,000 seal pups died in the
Pribilof islands during the last season from starvation, their mothers
having been killed at sea. A careful estimate, based upon a partial
count, placed the number of puiDS which died from starvation during
the season of 1894 at 20,000. The count for 1895 was carefully verified
by an agent of the ISTorth American Commercial Company upon the Prib-
ilof islands. The report of Agent Crowley, above referred to, with
other pa])ers, wt\;S recently transmitted to the Senate, in compliance with
a resolution of that body, and is now in the hands of the Government
Printer, its publication having been ordered. I desire to call your
attention also to the unprecedetitedly large catch of seals in Bering
Sea during the past season. The total was 44,109, as compared with
31,585 during the season of 1894. This is by far the largest catch ever
made in Bering Sea, and it is believed that another catch of similar
size for the coming season will almost completely exterminate the fur-
seal herd. The greater portion of seals killed at sea were females. The
total catch during the last season in the North Pacific and Bering Sea
from the American herd was 56,991, as compared with the total for 1894
of 61,838; the small falling off being due to the fact of the inclemency
of the weather between January and May along the northwestern coast,
and also to the diminution of the seal herd. On the other hand, the
catch in the Bering Sea increased very largely, as the inclosed figures
show.

I would respectfully call these figures to your attention, in the hope
that the British Government may consent for the coming season to some
further regulation of the fur-seal fishery in order to save the herd from
extermination.

I have he honor, etc.,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of Sta.te.

358 alaska industries.

March 13, 1896.

Sir: The act approved February 21, 1893 (27 Stat., 472), extends the
provisions of section 1950 of the Kevised Statutes, rehiting to the kill-
ing of fur-bearing animals in Alaska, to that portion of the North
Pacific Ocean covered by the international agreement reached as a
result of the Tribunal of Arbitration at Paris. The act provides also
that when such agreement is concluded it shall be the duty of the Presi-
dent to declare that fact by proclamation and to designate the portion
of the Pacific Ocean to which it is applicable.

I have the honor to inquire whether the proclamation of the Presi-
dent, dated April 9, 1894, promulgating the provisions of the act of
April 6, 1894, containing the award of the Paris Tribunal, is the procla-
mation issued in compliance with the act of February 21, 18*3, above
cited, or whether it is deemed necessary that another should be issued
to meet the requirements of that act.

In order that the necessary instructions may be issued to officers of
this Department, I have the honor also to request that I be advised
whether or not it is proposed to issue for the current year a proclama-
tion similar to that of February 18, 1895 (28 Stat., 1258), prohibiting
all persons from entering the waters of Bering Sea within the dominion
of the United States for the purpose of violating the provisions of
section 1950 of the Revised Statutes.
Eespectfully, yours,

S. Wjke, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

Department of State,
Washington, April 20, 1896.

Sir: In a private and confidential telegram from the British Foreign
Office to the British Ambassador at this capital it is stated, among
other things, that Her Majesty's Government is fully in accord with
the United States Government in desiring that all necessary and prac-
ticable measures should betaken to prevent the destruction of the seal
herd. To that end they propose to employ an additional cruiser the
forthcoming season on patrol duty, while notice has been issued by the
Canadian Government tb at in future seasons nursing females should be
distinguished from any others.

It is added that, with a view to the consideration of the question of
further restrictions to be imposed in future years. Her Majesty's Gov-
ernment desires, with the concurrence of the United States, to com-
mission a naturalist from England to reside during the forthcoming
season on the Pribilof Islands; that the Canadian Government also
desires to again send Mr. Macoun to continue his investigations; that
these gentlemen are expected to reach the islands in the early part of
June; and that Her Majesty's Government hopes that they will enjoy
the cooperation of the United States authorities and will receive all
necessary facilities for the accomplishment of the purposes of their
mission.

It is suggested that the company leasing the fur-seal catch might be
willing to make arrangements to permit the gentlemen named to pro-
ceed in the company's steamer.

Will you kindly give me your views upon the foregoing propositions,

ALA8KA INDUSTRIB*. 35*

and especially upon the point whether there is any objection to a resi-
dence upon the Pribilof Islands of British or Canadian commissioners,
as suggested.

Very respectfully, yours,

Richard Olney.
The Secretary of the Treasury.

Department of State,

Washington, April 32, 1896.

My Dear Sir: I should like an answer at your earliest convenience
to mine of a day or two since, asking your views respecting the request
of the British Government that a naturalist, appointed by that Govern-
ment, be permitted to reside on the Pribilof Islands the coming season,
and respecting the other matters stated in my letter.
Very truly, yours,

EicHARD Olney.
Hon. Charles S. Hamlin,

Assistant SeGretary of the Treasury.

April 23, 1896.

Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge your note of April 20, inform-
ing the Department of the desire of Her Majesty's Government to
commission a naturalist from England to reside during the forthcoming
season on the Pribilof Islands, and of the further desire of the Cana-
dian Government to send again Mr. Macoun to continue his investiga-
tions. You suggest, also, that the company leasing the fur-seal islands
might be willing to make arrangements to permit the gentlemen named
to proceed in the company's steamer.

I have the honor to reply that I see no objection to a suitably quali-
fied zoologist residing on the islands this season, but I beg to impress
upon you the necessity, if such permission be given, of also sending a
zoologist to represent the United States Government. I would further
suggest that it be understood that this permission shall in no way be
construed as a waiver of the position of the United States that an
immediate change in the regulations of the Paris award is necessary
to preserve the fur seal herd from destruction during the coming sea-
son, or as an abandonment of its efibrts in this direction. Inasmuch
as the closed season begins May 1, and continues until the 1st of
August, when the fur-seal herd is in Bering Sea, there will be ample
time to complete negotiations for such a change in the regulations,
should the British Government consent thereto. As to the desire of
the Canadian Government to send Mr. Macoun to the islands, I would
state that I have made careful inquiries as to Mr. Macoun's standing
and abilities as a zoologist. I beg, in this connection, to inclose a
copy of a note from Mr. J. Stanley-Brown, agent of the North American
Commercial Company, the present lessee of the seal islands, from which
it would seem to appear that the interests of both the United States
and of Great Britain might be subserved better by the designation of
some other person than Mr. Macoun. I do not, however, see the
necessity of having any zoologist to represent Canada, other than the
one representing the British Government.

360 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

I would further respectfully suggest that before any permission be
giveu, the name of the zoologist be submitted to me, in order that the
Department may be satisfied as to his capacity. Mr. Brown requests
that his letter be considered confidential.
I have the honor, etc..

The Secretary of State.

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.

1318 Massachusetts Avf.nue,
Wanliwgton, D. C, April 22, 1896.

Sir: In reply to your note of this date, I have to say that Mr. J. M. Macoun is a
botanist officially connected with the Cauailian geological survey. He is an agree-
able and amialdo gentleman to whom personally I feel most kindly, but in the sense
of having knowledge of animals he is not a naturalist at all. In 1892, while study-
ing seals and their habits on the Pribilof Islands, he confirmed a report of Dr. Ever-
nian's to the eli'ect that they had in company sewn a number of dead female seals at
Northeast Point, St. Paul Island. The investigation which was immediately made
showed that the creatures they had seen were the pups of the sea lion and at least
three out of live were males.

Upon his return to Canada, Mr. Macoan prepared a report which was printed as
pages 134 to 156 of the appendix of the Counter Case of Great Britain, vol. 1. This
report is so tilled with liis own version of conversations and statements of other
individuals, insufticieut observations, conjecture, and statements made with the
evident intention of misleading those unfamiliar with the subject, and is so lacking
in the frank and honest spirit of scientitic investigation that he should not be again
received by the United States as a representative of Great Britain in any capacity.
The whole report was made under the supervision of Dr. Dawson, one of the British
Bering Sea commissioners, and was designed to form an adjunct to and bolster up
that extraordinary and thoroughly discreditable document, the report of the British
commissioners. Mr. Macoun is a subordinate of Dr. Dawson's, and any future
investigations by him will be carried out in the same spirit and within the same
purpose as were those of 1892.

Tlie natural history facts relating to the fur seal, so far as they can be ascertained
from residence on the Pribilofs, are well known, and it is not a naturalist who is
needed so much as the services of an honest man of high standing who will faithfully
count the dead pups upon each rookery after September 20. All sealing in Bering
Sea should be suspended, and it would be a simple matter to determine from the
count made in September by representatives of the United States and Great Britain
in concert (this is important) whether the enormous numbers of dead pups counted
last year is a normal, annual occurrence uuall'ected by the frightful slaughter of
mothers in Bering Sea. There is still ample time to save the terrible waste of seal
life which has occurred during the past two summers — that waste which has destroyed
alike the Alaskan and Russian seal herd.

Very respectfully,

Hon. C. S. Hamlin,

Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

J. Stanley-Bkown.

April 25, 189G.

Sir: I have made inquiries of Mr. J. Stanley-Brown, superiiiteiKleut
of the North American Commercial Company, who informs me that the
company's steamer Homer will sail fVoui San Francisco between the 15th
and -JOth of May for the islands. The steamshii) is a commodious one,
having forty staterooms, and there will be no trouble in accommodating
the representatives of the British Government. The steamer will reach
Uualaska probably about June 3, and continuing its course, will reach
the islands about July 7. The whole seal herd will not be on the
islands before July 10, and it would not be practicable, therefore, to
undertake to count the number of seals before that date, and this
counting would take probably ten days. It would be, therefore, nearly

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 3lJl

August 1 before any report of said representatives could be sent back
and reach the United States or Great Britain.

The only effective mode would be to agree in advance, as I have
su{?gested in another letter of this date, upon a modus vivendi closing
Bering Sea, and prohibiting all killing on land and sea during the
remainder of this season, except food skins for the natives. If, how-
ever, the British representatives were authorized to declare sach a
modus, if the result of their investigation warranted su(;h action, it
would be possible to notify the sealing vessels at Unalaska, where they
rendezvous, prior to going into Bering Sea. It would be impossible,
however, to send a report back to the United States and Great Britain
in time to receive an answer and to notify said vessels of the conclusion
of the resi)ective Governments.

I have the honor, etc.,
The Secretary of State,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.

Department of State,
Washington, April 35, 1896.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you herewith two copies of a
report from the Can.adian minister of marine and fisheries respecting
the catch of the Canadian sealing fleet during the season of 1895, and
of the statistics annexed to the report, which supply the information
required by article 5 of the Bering Sea arbitration award.

The documents in question were received with a note of the 23d
instant from the British ambassador at this capital.
I have the honor, etc.,

ElCHARD Olney.
The Secretary of the Treasury.

[Inclosures.]

Report from the minister of marine and fisheries of Canada, with reference to the eatch of
the British sealers who operated on the North American coast during the year 1S95.

Marine and Fisheries, Canada, Ottawa,

January 4, 1S96.
To His Excellency tlie GovERNOU-ftEXKRAL in Council:

Revertiug to the approved minute of council dated the 25th July last, communi-
cating the catch of the British sealM's which operated on the North American coast
during the spring of 1895, the undersigned has now the honor to append, for the
information of Your Excellency, a conimnnication from the collector of customs at
Victoria, dated the 7th ultimo, covering:

{a) List of the names and masters ofall vessels licensed at Victoria for 1895.

{h) Statement of the catch of British sealing fleet for 1^95.

(c) The catch of American schooners landed at Victoria.

{d) The catch of American schooners landed at Puget Sound.

(e) The catch of American schooners landed at Astoria, Oreg.

(/) The catch of American schooners landed at San Francisco.

{(f) The catch of Pribilof Islands (American).

(h) The catch of Coi)per Islands (Russian).

(t) The boardings of British vessc^ls in Bering Sea.

(.;■) Copies of ofBcial logs of all British vessels sailing from Victoria, giving loca-
tion of eiich day's fur seal fishing operations.

The undersigned would observe that the catch of seals during the past seven years
was —

Niiinber.

1889 35. 310

1890 43, 325

1891 52, 365

1892 49, 74 3

representing practically an average of 60,000 skins per annum.

Number.

1893 70, 592

1894 95.048

1895' 73,614

362 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

It is thus demonstrated that the yield of tbo present year, notwithstanding the
explanations of unpropitious weather and unfavorable circuuistancea, is largely in
excess of the average talve of the past seven years.

Prior to the extraordinary and abnormal take of 1894, nnder the most favorable
conditions of weather and other circumstances, that of 1893 greatly exceeded anj"^ in
previous years in the history of the sealing industry, yet the take of the present
year is considerably larger than that was.

The undersigned is of the opinion that the significance of the decrease in the
catch as compared with 1894 can not I)e so marked as might at first sight appear, if
the results of the two years are considered alone.

He further believes that the contention that the seal herds are being rapidly
exterminated, and that only a vestige of their former greatness remains, does not
appear to gather much strength from an impartial examination of the figures n pre-
senting the annual catch. Indeed, considered in the light of the explanations
offereil by the sealers, the result of the present year's operations may be regarded
as atibrding reasonable grounds for an exactly opposite conclusion.

Perhaps one of the most noteworthy incidents in the industry this year is the catch
l)y the schooner Director in the South Atlantic Ocean, off Falkland Islands, of 602
seals.

Inquiries were instituted for the purpose of collecting any information connected
with the incident which might be of interest to the question of the sealing industry
generally.

It was ascertained that Capt. Frederick W. Gilbert, of the schooner Director, 87
tons register, with a crew of 25 men, sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 20th of
December, 1894, bound for the Asiatic side of the North Pacific Ocean.

On reaching the tenth degree of south latitude the master was obliged to change
his course by reason of his supply of provisions and water being insufHcient to
enable him to complete his voyage.

The run from Halifax to the Falkland Islands was made in forty-eight days.
While off the southern end of the ijlands he encountered several groups of seals. He
consequently devoted thirty-six days to sealing in that neighborhood, as well as off
the east and west ends of Staten Island, resulting in the capture of 620 seals, which
he took to the port of Victoria.

The captain reports that he was compelled to suspend his sealing operations owing
to a change in the weather, which became quite stormy, and as it was getting late
in the season he proceeded on his voyage to Victoria, reaching there on the 21st of
May, 1895.

Captain C4ilbert reported that all the seals were secured at sea, far distant from
any of the sealing preserves, and were shot in the same manner as are those taken
in the North Pacific Ocean by the Victoria sealing fleet.

He met with no interference. In reply to the inquiries made it was ascertained
that no record existed of the landing in the past of any seal skins at a British
Columbia port which did not form part of the catch of the sealers operating in the
North Pacific Ocean, either on the American or Asiatic side thereof.

The skins are reported to have been in good condition, and to be of the same kind
as those usually sold by Messrs. Lampson & Co., London, and are classed and
known with the Lobos Islands seal skins from the mouth of the river Platte, and
bringing about the same prices as those taken in the North Pacific Ocean.

The character of the skins is represented as-being very similar to that of those
usually secured by the British Columbian fleet.

The Director, under the command of Captain Gilbert, fitted at Victoria for the
August and September season in Bering Sea, where a catch of 688 seal skins was
secured.

The undersigned recommends that a copy of this report, if approved, together with
its appendices, be forwarded to the right honorable the principal secretary of state
for the colonies.

Respectfully submitted.

John Costigan.

Ci^sTOMS, Canada, Victouia, British Columbia,

December- 7, 1S95.

SiK : I have the honor to forward herewith a statement in complete form showing
tbe following:

(1) The names and masters of all vessels licensed at Victoria for 1895.

(2) The catch of British sealing fleet for 1895.

(3) The catch of American schooners landed at Victoria.

(4) The catch of American schooners landed at Puget Sound.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 363

(5) The catch of American schooners lauded at Astoria, Oreg.

(6) The catch of American schooners Lmded at San Francisco.

(7) The catch of Pribilof Islands (American).

(8) Tlie catch of Copper Islands (Russian).

(9) The boarding of British vessels in Bering Sea.

(10) The copies of official logs of all British vessels sailing from Victoria, giving
location of each day's far seal tisliiug operations.

In submitting the above report of the fur-sealiug operations for the past year, I
would beg to say that the figures have been collected with considerable care and
trouble, and I desire here, for your better understanding of the year's work, to give
a resume of the operations of the fleet sailing from this port.

Eesidts, 1894. — The catch of 1894 being the largest in the history of this port,
amounting to 94,474 skins, the results, however, were generally unsatisfactory and
unprofitable to the owners of vessels.

This loss was brought about partly by their own act in giving exorbitant prices
to the seal hunters, paying them as high as $4.50 and $4.75 per skin, when the sales
in London only brought about $7 to $8 per skin, thus bringing quite a number of
owners into debt, and some to disaster.

I endeavored at the time of the engagement of the crews in 1894 to bring the owners
to realize that there was great danger in paying this high figure to hunters, but
there was such competition that all argument was unavailing.

The present year, however, the effect of the low prices brought the owners to
realize the situation, and the vessels paid this year to all white hunters only one-
fifth lay and to the Indians tlie same, with a small bonus.

Licenses. — There have been licensed during the past year 64 British vessels sailing
from this port. Of this number 22 sailed during December, 1894, and January, 1895,
to Japan ; 33 were engaged in the British Columbia Coast catch, and 9 Indian
schooners, which likewise confined their operations to the British Columbia Coast
up to the 1st of May.

Crews. — There were engaged in this industry 705 white seamen and 854 Indians,
showing this year a decrease in the white seamen and an increase in the number of
Indians. The fact of the increase of Indians was owing to the demand for spear-
men in Bering Sea, where firearms could not be used.

Boats and canoes. — The record shows that there were 210 boats and 421 canoes in
use this year, exhibiting a decrease of 56 boats and an increase of 162 canoes. This,
as with the crews, was owing to the number of Indian spearmen going to Bering Sea.

British Columbia Coast catch. — The figures show the total British Columbia Coast
catch to be 9,853, exhibiting a decrease of 1,850 skins compared with 1894, although
a larger number of vessels were engaged. The cause assigned for this decrease was
chiefly owing to the boisterous weather which prevailed along the British Colum-
bian Coast, and when the weather moderated the seals had passed northward, so
that the larger herds could not be reached before the 1st of May, the commencement
of the close season.

Japan catch. — The total result of the operations on the Japanese Coast show that
there were only taken 18,687 skins, as against 49,483 in 1894, being a marked decrease
of 30,796. This decrease caused me to make diligent inquiry from the masters and
crews, and the conclusion arrived at was that stormy weather usually prevailed all
along the Japanese Coast, preventing the schooners from lowering their boats some-
times for days together. Also, it seems to be the consensus of opini(m among them
that the schooners this year were in advance of the seal herd, which had apparently
gone farther to the south than usual.

Coj)per Island catch. — Twenty schooners were sealing in the vicinity of Copper
Island, which obtained a catch of 6,281, as against 24 vessels last year with a catch
of 7,437.

Bering Sea. — In the month of June last 33 vessels cleared from this port for Bering
Sea, proceeding to the west coast, where they obtained Indian hunters, and pro-
ceeded direct to Unalaska, where they were all instructed, if they reported them-
selves to the custom-house there, that no difficulty was anticipated. On the clearance
papers from this port it was plainly stated tliat they had no firearms, nets, or explo-
sives, and that their hunting outfit consisted only of spears. On the Ist of August
they all left tho port of Unalaska, United States of America, and at once sailed to
the sealing grounds.

There were also 8 vessels which entered Bering Sea from the v/estward which had
been engaged in sealing on the Japanese side, making a total of 41 British vessels
fishing in Bering Sea, the result of their fishing being 35,918, as against 27 vessels in
1894, with a catch of 26,425 — an increase of 9,493 seals.

The weather was good, and seals reported to be fairly plentiful; but in this
regard some conflicting accounts were given, no doubt measured by their individual
success.

364 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Boardings. — The whole force of the American Revenue Service, consisting of 5 or
6 vessels, was congregated in Bering Sea, and from the evidence given and the entries
made in the official logs, they were continuously on the patrol outside the GO-mile
zone, as you will see by the iuclosed statement, they having made 106 boardings
from the 3d of August to tlie 20th of September.

The records of the boardings- show that several of the vessels were boarded from
3 to 5 limes, and nearly all v.ere boarded more than once, and no exemption was
made to those vessels which had cleared from Mctoria with only spears, as it was
understood that in searching the vessel and overhauling the skins the main conten-
tion was whether the skins had been shot.

Tliis our sealers, who had only spears and no firearms, considered a great hard-
ship— that their skins should be so often overhauled and the skins and salt scattered
over their provisions and coal, leaving them all over the hold without in one case
offering to repack Ihem, thereby causing danger to their preservation.

It was likewise reported that these frequent boardings took place when storm was
threatening and danger was apprehended to the canoes and boats, sometimes at a
distance of 5 to 10 miles away, pursuing seals.

It appears to me, however, from tlie excellent condition all the skins were in when
landed here, that no damage had come to the skins from the boardings, and it may
possibly be that the frequent saltings may have added to their preservation.

Apart from the interruption to the voyage while being boarded, and the incon-
venience and trouble in repacking the skins, no other damage was sustained, so far
as I could learn.

Seizures. — During the past year there have been three seizures, which were all
dnly reported to you.

( 1 ) The schooner Shelby, which was seized by the United States ship Corwin for hav-
ing seals and unsealed sealing implements on board in prohibited waters. This vessel
was seized in latitude 32'-' 59' north, longitnde 134^ 10' west, while on her homeward
voyage from the sealing ground, having proceeded about 200 miles and reached as far
south as Queen Charlotte Island, British Columbia, when she was arrested and ordered
to proceed to Sitka, with a prize crew on board, and fiom that place she was
directed to proceed to Victoria and report to me. On the return of the vessel to
this port, where she has lain in the harbor awaiting the action of the vice-admiralty
court, which sat here in November, and the vessel beiug adjudged guilty, was
ordered to pay a fine of £100 and all costs.

(2) The Beatrice, which was seized in Bering Sea on the 20th of August for viola-
tion of the fifth article of the regulations of the Paris award (as set forth in the
Bering Sea award act of 1891) — that is, that she had not entered up her log book from
the 12th to the 20th of August. This vessel was tried and acquitted; the judgment
carried all costs. This vessel has since been restore<l to her owners.

(3) The E. B. Marvin, which was seized in Bering Sea by the United States revenue
cutter Bush for violation of article 6 of the regulatious of the Paris award (Bering
Sea award act, 1894) — that is, that she had used firearms in killing seals. This schooner
had on board at the time of seizure 386 skins, one of which was selected whicli
appeared to have a hole resembling a shot hole, and which was the grounds on which
this schooner was seized and sent back to Victoria for trial. This vessel was tried
and the seizure discharged without costs.

While the case of the Mnvrin was in court I was very kindly requested by the
defendant to view the skin which was the cause of seizure, the defendant having
obtained permission to view the same, which was then in possession of the couit,
and it was only from curiosity, and not that I was required to give any evidence,
that I, with a few others, viewed the skin, and I came to the conclusion, seeing
that it was a very difficult matter for the experts to determine precisely where the
shot hole was, that the charge against the vessel was a very uncertain one.

The owners of the schooners Beatrice and E. B. Marvin have suffered severe loss l)y
the seizure and interruption of the season's voyage. The actual loss of the E. B.
Marvin alone, presuming that she would have taken about the same number of skins
as other vessels of similar size and equipment, will be not less thau $10,000.

Disasters. — There were only three serious disasters to the sealing fleet during the
past year, viz, the schooners Rosie Olsen, Brenda, and Tf alter A. Earle.

The Rosie Olsen was wiecked on the 18th of June while entering the port of Hako-
date for water, and became a total loss. The crew and seal skins were all saved.

The Brenda was wrecked on the 1st of July last. When going into the Little
Kurile Straits for water she struck on a rock and became a total loss. The schooner
Genera hove in sight and rescued the crew, skins, and some portions of the rigging.

The Walter A. Earle was capsized on the 14th of April in latitude 58"^ north and
longitude 139'^ west. This vessel had a crew of 28 persons, and was sealing on the
British Columbia coast when the storm overtook her. All hands were lost. She
was subsequently found bottom up in the neighborhood of Cape Tonki, and was
towed into Kodiak and 15 bodies were found in the ship's hold.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 365

FaJJcland Island catch. — The schooner Director arrived here from Halifax, Nova
Scotia, on the 2l8t of May, and while in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands, or
between that and Staten Island, obtained 620 seal skins, which were brought to this
port. The circumstances of this were conveyed to you in my letter of the 10th of
August. I have seen Capt. F. W. Gilbert, and he has nothing further to add to the
information conveyed to yon in my letter, only that he affirmed that the hunting
was done on the sea, and that no attempt was made to take skins on the land; that
he was outside the jurisdiction of any foreign Government, and that if the weather
had been more moderate he could have obtained many more, but he desired not to
delay there, as he wished to proceed to Bering Sea.

Sealing of arms. — After careful inquiry in regard to this matter, I find that the
majority of our sealers would desire to have their firearms sealed up before entering
Bering Sea, to avoid interruption and seizure for trivial and doubtful causes, but this,
I do not think, they would mean to apply to the Pacific Ocean proper.

Official logs. — All vessels leaving this port have been carefullj' notified to keep their
official log books in conformity with the instructions of article 5 of the Paris regula-
tions, and they have been fairly kept, recording each day'the number of males and
females taken; but I might suggest that an additional sealing log or an addition to
the present official log be made whereby the sealers might record daily some other
items of interest that might be of use to the Government.

Agreement with Bussia. — I had the honor, on the 16th of Janu<ary last, to receive your
letter, and, in compliance with the wishes of the honorable the minister, I promul-
gated in every possible manner the renewal of the provisional agreement with Rus-
sia, providing a protective zone of 30 miles around the Komaudorski Islands, Tulenew
Islands, or Kobbeu Reef, in the Okhotsk Sea, and a protective zone of 10 miles along
the shores of the Russian mainland.

Hesults of 1895. — The catch for the British Columbia fleet of British vessels being
71,359, and there was likewise landed from American vessels 2,255, making a total of
73,614 skins which have passed through this i)ort.

The ruling price during the month of August and the early part of September was
$9, but during the latter part of September and October the price went up to $10.50.

I thought the price was very good, being a considerable advance on last year, and
those who were fortunate enough to sell at the latter price will do very well, as
information has been received here from London that the skins will not reach that
figure after deducting the expenses.

It may be that some of the skins may be kept over for higher figures, but I think
it safe to say that the value of the present year's sealing will amount to about
$700,000, or, say, $730,000.
I have, etc.,

A. R. Milne, Collector.

Wm. Smith, Esq.,

Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa.

April 29, 1896.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note,
inclosing a report from the minister of marine and fisheries of Canada,
with reference to the catch of British sealers, and copies of British
log books for the season of 1895.

In this connection I desire to call your attention to two significant
statements in the report of Mr. A. R. Milne, collector at Victoria, to
the deputy minister of marine and fisheries, as bearing on the implied
claim of the British Government, contained in a letter and inclosures
from the British ambassador to yourself, dated April 23, 1896, of which
you inclosed me a copy, that the fur-seal skins were injured by the
frequent searches of our revenue cruisers.

On page 4 of said report the collector states that, from the excellent
condition of the skins when landed at Victoria, no damage, in his judg-
ment, had come to them fiom the searches by revenue cruisers. On
page 5 the further statement is made that, after careful inquiry, the col-
lector found that a majority of the British sealers desired to have their

366 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

tirearms sealed up before entering Bering Sea, to avoid interruption
and seizure for trivial and doubtful causes.
I have the honor, etc.,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.
The Secretary of State.

Department of State,
Washington, April 39, 1896.

Sir: I beg to inclose herewith copy of note just received from the
British ambassador at this capital; also copy of note I have sent to him
in reply.

In reply to the inquiry addressed to me by the Treasury Department
in a communication of a day or two since, viz, whether in my judgment
there was any prospect of the British Government agreeing to any
modification of the Bering Sea regulations for the coming season, I
desire to say that, in my judgment, it is quite improbable that any such
agreement will be made.

On the other hand, I have good reason for believing that if the report
of the British and Canadian agents i^roposed to be sent to the Pribilof
Islands, as above stated, should confirm the position of this Govern-
m*ent as to the threatened immediate extermination of the fur-seal herd,
a modus vivendi might be entered into which would insure the protec-
tion of the fur-seal herd during the coming season.
Respectfully, yours,

EiCHARD Olnby.

Hon. Charles S. Hamlin,

Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

[Incloaures.]

British Embassy,
Washington, April 27, 1S96.

Sir : With reference to your note No. 344 of the 11th ultimo, iu which you urge the
adoption of some further restrictions on pelaj^ic sealing in Bering Sea for the coming
season in view of the alleged imminent extermination of the fur-seal herd, I have
the honor to inform you that the contents of your note have received the careful
consideration of Her Majesty's Government.

I am instructed by Her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs to
state that the apprehensions of the United States Government on this head appear
to be founded mainly on the fact that by actual count 28,000 dead pups were found
in the island last year, aud on the assumption that the deaths of these pups were the
direct result of their mothers having been killed at sea.

But, from the exhaustive discussion of the question in the report and supplemen-
tary report of the British Bering Sea commissioners, it has not been satisfactorily
established that the mortality of the pups is caused by the killing of seals at sea.
The date, moreover, which the arbitrators lixed for the opening of Bering Sea pelagic
sealing and the radius within which sealing was prohibited round the Pribilof
Islands were determined, after full consideration, to be sufficient to protect nursing
females whose pups were not able to provide for themselves.

It should also be borne in mind that in the Bering Sea catch of 1895 the proportion
of males to females taken by Canadian sealers was about 45 per cent of males against
55 per cent of females, although the returns of the American sealers in that sea give
an average of 3 females to I male.

In the meantime the admitted fact tliat the seals at sea show no apparent diminu-
tion of numbers, aud that the sealers iu Bering Sea were able to make practically
as largo catches last year as in the previous year, does not point to the imminent
extermination of the seals.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 367

The returns sliow that the Canadian sealing vessels all kept well outside the 60-
mile radius, and aa there seems little doubt that during the period when sealing is
allowed in Bering Sea the great bulk of the seals are inside that limit, the natural
deduction is that less than half the herd is at any time exposed to capture, and that
the danger of extermination by pelagic sealing must therefore be comparatively
remote.

It is observed that on the islands 15,000 seals were killed last season, as compared
with 16,000 in the season of 1894, but in the reports which have been reieived on
this point it is not stated whether any difficulty was experienced in obtaining that
number of skins, nor from what class of seals the skins were taken.

Taking into account the catch on the islands, the whole catch from the Alaskan
herd was 71,300 in 1895, as compared with 71,716 in 1894, being only about half the
total catch taken in 1889 and previous years, and though it may be the case that a
elnughter of some 70,000 a year is more than the herd can properly bear for a series
of years. Her Majesty's Government see no reason to believe that it is so large as to
threaten early extermination.

The necessity for the immediate imposition of increased restrictions, to take effect
during the coming season, does not, therefore, appear to be established, and it must
be borne in mind that at this late ])eriod it is no longer possible to give effective
warning of any change in the regulations to the large number of vessels which have
already cleared for the Japan Coast fishery, and which will, after that is concluded,
proceed to Bering Sea for the opening of the fishery in August. The imposition of
restrictions without due warning would cause great confusion and hardship, and
would undoubtedly give rise to large claims lor compensation on ground which
could not, with justice or reason, be disputed.

But Her Mnjesty's Government fully share the desire so strongly expressed by
your Government that all necessary aud practicable measures should be taken to
prevent the possible extermination of the seals.

As a precaution for the strict observance of the regulations prescribed by the Tri-
bunal of Arbitration and now in force, they will give directions for the employment
of an additional cruiser this season in policing the fisheries, although, as far as they
have been able to judge, the force employed up to the present time has been sufficient.

In accordance with the desire expressed by you in your note No. 317 of the 6th
February, Her Majesty's Government have requested the Dominion government to
issue a notice to the effect that the returns which the sealing vessels are required to
furnish shall in future specify which of the females killed are barren and which are
in milk, and a reply has been received from His Excellency the Governor- General of
Canada that this will be done.

In order to investigate more completely the question of the necessity of further
restrictions in future years. Her Majesty's Government are desirous at once to take
the necessary steps for conducting an independent inquiry on the Pribilof Islands
into the state of the herd, by an agent sent from Great Britain. This gentleman
would be a naturalist possessed of the necessary scientific qualifications, aud care
will be taken to select a person who will be entirely free from bias in carrying out
the mission intrusted to him.

The Canadian government are also desirous of sending Mr. Macoun again to the
islands this season in order to continue his investigations. The British agent and
Mr. Macoun would arrive at the islands early in .June aud remain until toward the
end of September, and Her Majenty's Government would be glad if the United States
authorities would grant them all necessary facilities and cooperate with them as far
as possible.

It has been suggested that arrangements might perhaps be made with the company
which leases the seal catch on the Pribilof Islands to allow the British agent and
Mr. Macoun to proceed in their steamer as passengers,
I have the honor, etc.,

Julian Pauncefote.

April 29, 1896.

Sir: I have the houor to acknowledge your favor of the 27th instant, being an
answer to my note No. 314, of the 11th ultimo, wherein is urged the adoption for
the coming season of further restrictions on pelagic sealing in Bering Sea in view of
what this Government believes to be the demonstrated imminent extermination
of the fur-seal herd.

Without at this time adducing any additional considerations in support of the
]iosition taken by this Government, I hasten to say that it welcomes an independent
inquiry by the British Government into the present state of the fur-seal herd
through the British and Canadian agents referred to in your note. They will be
given all needful facilities for their investigations by this Government, which will
request the North American Commercial ("ompany to give them all convenient
transportation facilities on its steamers.

368 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

T venture to also snsrgest tliat if the naturalist selected by the British Government
could come to Washington on liis way to Alaska and have a free and full conference
with Assistant Secretary Hamlin the objects of his mission would probably be
greatly promoted.

"l avail myslf, etc., Richakd Olney.

His Excellency the Right Honorable Sir Julian Pauncefote.

May 5, 1896.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledg^e your letter of April 29 inclos-
ing copy of a note received by you from the British ambassador at this
capital, andiblso a copy of your answer thereto.

In the note of tlie British ambassador it is stated that the whole
catch taken from the Alaskan herd, including the laud catch on the
Pribilof Islands for the years 1894 and 1895, was, 71,716 and 71,300,
respectively. While this statement is substantially correct for the
year 1895, it would appear that in the year 1891 a large number was
taken, namely, 76,871 — 61,838 at sea, and 15,033 on the Islaiuls.

The further statement is made in said letter that the fur seals show
no apparent diminution in numbers, and attention is called to the fact
that the sealing vessels in Bering Sea made practically as large catches
during the season of 1895 as in that of 1891, which fact the ambassador
contends does not point to the immediate extermination of the fur-seal
herd. The fact, however, that the seals on the islands have decreased
at least one-half since 1890 would seem to answer this claim. A
further answer will also be found in the report of the Secretary of the
Treasury for 1895, ou page cc, wherein it appears that the average
catch per vessel on the Northwest Coast fell off 5 per cent in 1895 as
compared with 1894, while the average catch in Bering Sea fell off 12
per cent as compared with 1894. At the same time, while the percent-
ages of females killed iu Bering Sea were the same for British vessels
in 1894 and 1895, there was an increase from 69 to 73 per cent for
American vessels in 1895. That the seal catch is maintained at the
figures cited is because of the fact that Bering Sea is a nursery for
the herd while it is on the islands, and of the further fact that the seals
can be killed easier while in Bering Sea than when traveling off the
Pacific Coast toward the islands.

The statement of the ambassador that the total land and sea catch
from the Alaskan herd in 1895 was only about one-half of what the
same was in 1889 would seem to be a further convincing argument as
to the decrease iu the seal herd. In this connection I would state that
in 1889 the catch on land and sea was about 132,000, of which 102,000
were taken on the Pribilof Islands and 30,000 at sea, the pelagic catch
being about 22 per cent of the total. In 1895, on tbe other hand, the
pelagic catch, 56,291, had increased to 78 per cent of the total, 71,291.
From 1880 to 1895 the pelagic catch increased from about 8,000 to
56,000, or 600 per cent, while the Pribilof Islands catch decreased from
105,000 to 15,000, or 86 per cent.

It is stated also in said letter that it would now be too late to giv^e
effective warning of any change iu the regulations, and that vessels
which have cleared already for the Japanese Coast would be seriously
injured by any change at this late date. I have the honor, however,
to call your attention to the fact that the modus vivendi of 1891 was
agreed upon as late as June 15.
Kespectfully, yours,

S. WiKE, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 369

May 5, 1896.

SiE: I have the honor to state that the Department is informed by
the Secretary of State that the British ambassador has requested per-
mission in behalf of the British Government to send two naturalists to
the Pribilof Islands to investigate the present condition of the fur-seal
herd during the coming season. It will, therefore, in the opinion of this
Department, be necessary to secure the services of some eminent zool-
ogist in this country to conduct a similar investigation on behalf of the
United States in cooperation with the officers of the United States Gov-
ernment who may be detailed for this purpose by the President. I
have the honor to suggest that an appropriation of $5,500 be made for
this purpose, and herewith inclose a form of appropriation for your
consifleration.

Very respectfully, yours, C. S. Hamlin,

Acting Secretary,
Hon. William B. Allison,

Chairman Committee on A;piyropriations^ United States Senate.

The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized, out of any moneys not other-
wise appropriated, to expend not exceeding $5,500 for investigation of the condition
of the fur-seal herd in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea during the fiscal years
1896 and 1897. He is further authorized, in addition to said $5,500, to paj- the neces-
sary expenses of any officials of the Government who may be detailed for said investi-
gation by the President.

United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries,

Washington, D. C, May 9, 1896.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the Fish Commission
steamer Albatross is now being fitted out at the Mare Island navy-
yard, California, for fishery investigations on the Alaskan Coast, and
that preparations are also being made in connection therewith to con-
form to the provisions contained in the act of Congress approved
March 3, 1893, as follows, namely:

And the Commissioner of Fisheries is authorized and required to investigate,
tinder the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, and when so requested to
report annually to him regarding the conditions of seal life upon the rookeries of the
Pribilof Islands.

My reason for bringing this matter to your attention is due to the
fact that the investigations called for are subject to your authorization,
and I beg to be informed if you desire to have the work taken up agaiu
this season. In this event, I would respectfully request that the chief
Treasury agent at the Pribilof Islands be notified of the proposed
inquiries, and that he be directed to facilitate the work of the Fish
Commission party to such an extent as he may be able to. I would
also ask that the party be allowed the same accommodations at the
Government building as have been accorded it in the past, and that it
be permitted to participate in the mess furnished by the sealing com-
pany, the same as the Treasury agents.
Very respectfully,

J. J. Brice, Commissioner,
The Secretary of the Treasury,

Washington, D. C,
H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 24

370 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

May 14, 1896.

Sm : Acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant,
wherein you request to be advised whether, under the act of March 3,
1893, this Department desires an investigation and report to be made
by the Fish Commission as to the condition of seal life on the rookeries
of the Pribilof Islands during the coming summer, I have the honor
to inform you that the Department considers such investigation and
report most desirable, particularly in view of information received from
the honorable the Secretary of State, that an English and a Canadian
naturalist will be permitted to reside on the islands during the coming
summer. I feel, therefore, that the assistance desired can be ren-
dered by our Commission in examining into the condition of the rook-
eries, taking a careful census of the seals, examining the bodies of the
dead pups to ascertain the cause of death and making other similar
investigations.

I would thank you to inform me of the earliest date on which the
Albatross will be ready to sail, so that I may have a personal interview
with you before that date.

Eespectfully, yours, C. «. Hamlin,

Acting Secretary.

The Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries,

Washington, D. G,

May 14, 1896.

Sir: The report of the minister of marine and fisheries, sent by the
British Government, inclosing a copy of the log-book entries of British
vessels for the season of 1895, as required by article 5 of the regulations
of the Paris tribunal, contains copies of such entries only as relate to
the catch of the British vessels in Bering Sea, and omits all entries
showing the killing of the 9,853 seals taken by the British vessels on
the Northwest Coast.

I have the honor to request, therefore, that you ask the British Gov-
ernment to furnish the log-book entries containing the record of the
Northwest Coast catch.

Respectfully, yours, C. S. Hamlin,

Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

May 26, 1896.

Sir : The Department has been informed by the honorable the Secre-
tary of State that two English naturalists will shortly go to the Pribilof
Islands as representatives of the British Government to enter upon an
investigation of the present condition of the fur-seal herd.

In my judgment it would be necessary to send some eminent zoologist
to accompany these British representatives to make an independent
investigation in behalf of the United States Government.

It will also probably be expedient to detail one or more officers or
employees of the United States to take part in said investigation.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 371

I inclose a form of joint resolution authorizing such investigation,
and I would ask that you expedite its passage through the House.
Eespectfully, yours,

C. S. Hamlin,
Acting Secretary.
Hon, Nelson Dingley, Jr.,

House of Eepresentatives.

JOINT EBSOLUTION to authorize a scientific Investigation of the far-seal fisheries.

Be it resolved by the Senate and Uouse of Representatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, aud is hereby, author-
ized to expend from any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated a sum
sufficient to provide for the employment of persons to conduct a scientific investiga-
tion during the fiscal years 1896 and 1897 of the present condition of the fur-seal
herds on the Pribilof, Commander, and Kooril islands, in the North Pacific Ocean
and Bering Sea, said amount not to exceed for both said years the sum of $5,000.

The President is also authorized to detail for the purposes of assisting in this
investigation any officer or officers or employees of the United States Government,
their actual expenses and the expenses of the person or persons employed under the
preceding paragraph to be paid i)y the Secretary of the Treasury out of any moneys
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

The Presidf^nt may detail a vessel of the United States for the purpose of carrying
out this investigation.

Department of State,
• Washington^ June 9, 1896.

Sir: Eeferring to the Department's letter to you of the 27th of May,
1895, transmitting to you a copy of a communication from the British
Foreign Uftice, dispatch No. 93, of May 17, 1895, to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, on the subject of the necessity of further i^rovisious to preserve
the fur-seal herd of the Northern Paciiic Ocean and Bering Sea; and
referring also to the Department's note on the 24th of June, 1895, to
Lord-Gough in regard to the same subject (see Foreign Eelatious, part
1, 1895, pp. 649-653), I have the honor to inclose for your information
and consideration a copy of a further note of the 4th instant, from the
British ambassador at this capital in regard to the matter in question.
I have the honor, etc.,

ElCHARD Olney.

The Secretary of the Treasury.

[Inclosiire.]

Washington, June 4, 1896.

Sir: With reference to the question raised in your note to Her Majesty's charge
d'affaires, No. 133, of June 24, 1895, whether the computation made by the British
Bering Sea commissioners of the seal catch of 1891 within the awarded area included
the number of seals caught on the Asiatic side of Bering Sea, I have the honor to
transmit you herewith, l)y direction of Her Majesty's secretary of state for foreign
alfairs, a report of the collector of customs at Victoria, giving full particulars of the
catch for the year in question and showing the respective localities from which the
yield was secured.

The total Asiatic catch was 6,595 seals. The deduction of this figure leaves the
total for the award area at 43,361, including the catch of the United States schooner
City of San Diego, lauded at Victoria and taken on the American side, which amounted
to 641 skins.

The figures given for 1894, however, include the Indian catch on the British Colum-
bia Coast, viz, 3,989 skins. This figure was very properly added, since these skins
were secured from animals belonging to the so-called American herd. For purposes

372 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

of comparison it is necessary to include those taken by Indians in 1891, amounting
to 1,953, and this would raise the figure for 1891 to 45,614, showing a balance in favor
of that year, as against the total of 38,044 for 1894, of 7,570 skins.

The collector of customs also points ont that the number of British vessels engaged
during 1891 in sealing within the award area was 50, while, in 1894, 59 vessels were so
employed.

According to the statement taken from the books of the United States custom-
house, no less than 41 United States vessels were engaged iu the seal fishery during
1891, making a total for that year of 91, instead of 115, as stated in your note of Vis-
count Goiigh, above referred to.

The total fieet mentioned in that note, for the year 1894, was 95 vessels. The deduc-
tion of 59 British vessels would leave the number of United States vessels at 36.

It is, moreover, apparent that the catch of 1891 would have been still larger but
for the interference with and expulsion of sealing vessels from Bering Sea under the
modus Vivendi.

I have the honor, etc,

Julian Pauncefote.

Hon. R. Olney.

Report hy the collector of customs, Victoria, British Columbia, to the deputy minister of

marine and fisheries, Ottawa.

Customs, Canada, Victoria, British Columbia,

February 20, 1896. i

Sir : I have the honor to revert to your letters of the 19th of September and 10th of
December last, inclosing for my information an extract from a communication from
the United States Government touching the catch of seals as taken from the statistics
supplied through me.

I beg leave to observe that the contention appears to be hinged on the relative
catches of the years 1891 and 1894, and that the British stateiftent in the main is
that, notwithstanding the large take of 1894, that of 1891 was as large, so far as the
80-termed American herd was concerned.

Before dealing with the subject, I beg to premise that I regret that I had to tabu-
late the figures of the seal catch for the year 1891 from the reports of the masters of
the several vessels^s declared by them, to which no objection could be taken, as at
that time there was no information given in the vessel's log book as to the locality
or date of each fur seal fishing operation, tlie catch then being divided into three
periods, viz, the lower coast, the upper coast to Sand Point, and the Bering Sea,
and this division was made to agree with the landing periods when the skins were
taken or shipped home to his port. Thus, after the vessels had left their skins at
Sand Point, Alaska, to be shipped to A'ictoria, they included all seals taken there-
after as being from Bering Sea and adjacent waters; the imaginary water line
obviously arranged between the United States and Russia for other reasons than to
give dominion over any part of Bering Sea, other than territorial waters, was then
of little concern to our sealers, and thus, when they returned to their home port, the
declaration on their inward and special sealing report designated their entire catch
as being made in Bering Sea, without any regard to location, and the figures were so
regarded in our statistical books.

The manifests and special re])orts of all British sealing A^essels arriving back at
this port during the season of 1891, when compiled, gave the total catch as follows:

Lower Coast catch 3, 565

Sand Point, or Upper Coast catch 17, 162

Bering Sea catch 28, 489

Kurile Islands (Asiatic) catch 399

Total 49,615

Caught by Indians on British Coast 1, 953

Total skins for 1891 51,568

These figures as given in the tabulated statements then supplied your department
are beyond conjecture, having been compiled with the greatest care, and the number
of skins landed also having been verified at the time by actual count by the local
customs officers.

The promulgation of the modus vivendi of 1891 was an important feature in the his-
tory of the sealing industry, when a number of our British vessels were warned out
of the American side of Bering Sea, between the dates of 30th June and 16th August
of that year.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

373

It is also well known, in connection with the history of pelajfic sealing, that 11 ves-
sels of the British Coluniliia fleet, who were nofcitied of the operation of the modus
Vivendi, left Bering Sea and adjacent waters, going over to the Russian side of Bering
Sea, and sealed a short season in the vicinity of Copper Island, returning from them
direct to this port.

It must be borne in mind that most of the 11 vessels which went to Copper Island
had, on leaving the east side, a considerable number of skins, which they ke])t on
boiird on their voyage to the Russian side, having no opportunity of landing them,
so that when they did return to this port, the locality of catch then being deemed
of little importance, the whole of the skins were entered on their reports as being
from Bering Sea and were classilied in our statisticnl books as such, and which is
perfectly accurate, so far as the actual nuuiber of skins landed was concerned, and
which agree with the tabulated returns. (Table A, page 205, of the report of the
Bering Sea Commission, 21st June, 1892.)

Since the receipt of your letter of the 19th of September last, I have examined the
log books and papers of the various sealers as to the exact number of skins taken
by those 11 vessels iu the vicinity of Copper Island, and after many interviews with
masters and owners, much delay, and patient inquiry, I am now able to present to
you iin accurate report of the result of their sealing operations while in the neigh-
borhood of the Commanderosky Islands in 1891, which was:

Name of schooner.

Namber
olskius.

Remarks.

C H TuDDer

374
731
300
1,170
1,062
605
624
541
387
148
254

Copper Island.
Do.

Do.

Ocean Belle -

Do.

Oscar and Hattie

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Teresa

Do.

Geneva . .. . .

Do.

TJnibriiia . - --

Do.

Total

6,196
399

Borealia (catch neai

-Kuri
catch

lelsl

mds) -

6Jb95

The schooner BoreaVis, after her return to this port on the Slst August, was char-
tered by a man named Hansen and went from here to the Kurile Islands, and returned
late in the fall with 399 skins. These ligures are given in the al)ove statement as
belonging properly to the Asiatic side. Tlierefore the figures for the season of 1891
are as follows :

Lower coast catch' 3,565

Sand Point or Ujjper coast catch ' 17, 162

Bering Sea • 22, 293

Copper Islands (Asiatic)'^ 6,196

Kurile Islands^ 399

Total 49,651

Taken by Indians on British Columbia coast 1, 953

It will be seen by the figures above given that the actual number of skins taken
in 1891 within the area of the Paris award was 43,020, and 6,595 were taken on the
Asiatic side, outside of the award area.

By the returns of 1894 you will observe that the total catch of seals within the
area now covered by the Paris award was as follows: Eastern side Pacific Ocean,
including Bering Sea, 38,014.

The foregoing figures relate solely to British vessels, but in the year 1891 the
American schooner City of San Diecjo landed at this port 641 skins taken on the east-
ern side of Bering Sea, which should be added to the catch taken by British vessels,
because they were landed here, making the total catch of seals landed at Victoria,
taken in that year within the area of the Paris award, 43,361, and in comparing the
year 1891 with 1894 the result is as follows: Total skins obtained within the area of
the Paris award in 1891, 43,661 ; in 1894, 38,044, making 5,617 more skins in 1891 than
in 1894.

It must be taken into consideration that the vessels in 1891 were very early in the

* Paris award area.

* Asiatic.

374 ALASKA iNDUSTRIES.

sealing season warned out, and had to leave Bering Sea, the lar<>er nninber being
compelled to relinquish their sealing operations in July, for had the vessels remained
until August, with the good weather such as prevailed, the catch of 1891 would have
been much larger.

The number of British vessels engaged in sealing within the area of the Paris
award in the year 1891 was 50. The uuniber of vessels engaged in sealing within
the area of the Paris award in 1894 was 59.

The following statement shows the number of American vessels which cleared from
American ports on sealing voyages (vide p. 206, United States No. 2, 1893, Report of
the Bering Sea Commission, 21st June, 1892: San Francisco, 23'; Port Townsend, 9;
Astoria, 2; San Diego, 2; other ports, 5.

Therefore, taking the American statement as taken from their custom-house books,
exhibits the fact that 41 American vessels were engaged in sealing in the year 1891,
and this number, added to 50 British vessels similarly employed (see returns, 1891),
plainly shows that the entire fleet, British and American, consisted of 91 vessels in
the year 1891, and it is incomprehensible how the United States authorities place the
number at 115 for 1891.

The sealing returns from this port, which I think are beyond question, show that
in the year 1894 there were engaged in sealing 59 British vessels, sailing from British
Columbia ports (see sealing returns, 1894), and according to the American statement
the entire sealing fleet, British and American, numbered 95 vessels for 1894 ; deducting
therefrom the 59 British vessels would leave 36 United States vessels so employed.

You will find on examination of the sealing returns tor the year 1894 that the crews
and equipment of the vessels were considerably increased in comparison with the
same in 1891, and you will likewise observe that in 1894 the greater number of seals
were taken on the Japan coast.

It was estimated, with uncertainty, that the American catch in 1891 approximated
10,000, and this added to our British catch, 49,015, would make 67,615, or, in round
numbers, 68,000 skins.

The returns for the year 1894 exhibit the fact that the following-mentioned number
of skins were taken by British vessels on the Asiatic side (outside award area), viz:

Japan coast 48, 993

Copper Island 7, 437

Total, 1894 (Asiatic) 56, 430

Within Paris award area, 1894 38,044

Total, 1894 94,474

In following the argument advanced by tlie United States, on page 3 in the extract
you send me, it is apparently admitted that our figures of the catch in 1894, within
the Paris award area, is correct.

But it appears by United States Treasury Department tables, the details of which
were mentioned in Mr. Gresham's note of 23d January, that there were taken 6,836
skins by American vessels, the locality of catch being undetermined.

I can not understand why it should be assumed by the United States Government
that 6,152 skins, taken from those whose location of catch was undetermined, and
added to those taken within the award area, when it is well known that the greater
number of United States vessels went to Japan waters to engage in sealing iu 1894.

It appears to be well known that there were few American vessels sealing in the
North Pacific within the award area in 1894, as stated, the greater number having
gone to Japan waters, for in the past a number of these usually visited this port for
supplies, and to dispose of their skins, and I became aware of their movements;
therefore it appears to me unjustifiable to assign 90 per cent of the undetermined
catch in 1894 to the award area.

In regard to the statement made relative to the evidence taken before the Tribunal
at Paris that the number of seals killed but not recovered was from two to five times
as many as those secured. This is to me an extraordinary statement to introduce into
the matter under consideration, and one which I can not concede in any way, for I
am assured that as the seasons go by the seal hunter improves in skill and dexterity
in pursuing the seal, and owners and masters are now so careful in selecting those
competent to hunt that they will employ only those skillful as seamen and hunters.

There is no doubt that the lack of success of many American vessels is a good deal
due to obtaining unskilled hunters and seamen, principally in San Francisco, while
our sealers are very intelligent and competent men, mostly domiciled here, and to tell
them that they lose from two to five times as many seals as they secure would amuse
them.

Regretting that this has been so long delayed, I have, etc.

A. R. Milne, Collector.

1 The steamer Thistle, being a British vessel, not included in above.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

375

Retitrn of fhe numler of skins taken by British vessels on the Asiatic side (outside award

area) for the year 1894.

!Nanie ol' ecliouuers.

Tictoria VfsseU.

Agnes McDonald-.

Ainoko

Annie C. Moore

Annie E. Paint

Arietis

Aurora

Beatrice

Borealis

Brenda

Carlo tta G. Cox

Casco

City of San Diego. .

Diana

Dora Siewerd

E.B.Marvin

Enterprise

Favourite

Eawn

Fisher Maid

Florence M. Smith .

Geneva

Henrietta

Kate Katharine . . . .

Kilmen y

Kilmeny

Labrador

Libbie

Mary Ellen

Mary Taylor

Mascot

Maud S

May Belle

Mermaid

Minnie

Mountain Chief

Ocean Belle

Oscar and Hattie..

Otto

Penelope

Pionce

Eosie Olsen

Sadie Turpel

San Jo86

Sapphire

Saucy Lass

Shelby

Teresa

Triumph

ITmbrina

Venture

Vera

Viva

W.P. Hall

W. P. Say ward

Walter A. Earle...

"Walter L. Rich

"Wanderer

Vancouver vessels.

Beatrice

CD. Rand..

Total

Tons.

107
75

113
82
86
41
66
37

100
76
63
46

150
94
96
69

180

159
21
99
92
31
58
82
19
25
93
63
43
40
97
58
73
46
23
83
81
86
70
66
39
56
31

109
38
16
63
98
99
48
60
92
99
60
68
76
25

49
51

British

Columbia

coast.

467

358
303

Japan
coast.

606

92

315

79

269

308

488
175

418

20
535
170

34

1,320

691

400

3,989

357
11,703

1,707

1,497

1,197

693

2, 383
1,947
1,926
1,304
1,961
2,584
2,118
1,254

Copper
Island.

911

96
1,092

1,010

1,909
874
558

1,343
925

1,603

530
1,733
1,014
1,306

1,043
1,783

1,102
"2," 588

1,075

1,437

710

606

1,471

1,703

48,993

471

'ssi

21

343

250
433

314

81
558

200

86

250

"86

197
505

274
176
623
290
1,263

171

120
'i53

35

7.437

Bering
Sea.

1,657

91

217

1,160

1,149

1,240
646

767
867
1,059
634
560

457
545

1,665

856

849

2,105

668

377

3,240

60

909

195

672
1,749

26, 341

Total.

2,178
2,124
2, 0'J8
1,288

931
1,518
1,462
2,726
1,947
1,926
1,554
2,394
2,584
2,118
1,568
1,846
1,557
92

177
1,650
1,082

946
1,328

634

868
1,210
2,452
1,124
1,103
1,429
1,122
2,108
2,153

175

804
1,909
1,637
1,602
1,681
1,889
1,954

869
2,640

838

411
1,222
4,560
2,801

909
2,270
1,437

710

641
2,143
2,440

400
3,989

1,703
357

94, 474

376

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Catch of British Columhia schooners in the vicinity of Copper Island after they were
warned out of Bering Sea, 1S91, and included in tabulated statement with Bering Sea
catch.

Name of schooner.

C.H. Tapper

Viva

Beatrice

Ocean Belle

Oscar aud Hattie

Maud S

Katherine

Penelope

Teresa

Geneva

"Umbrina

Total

Borealis catch near Kurile Islands

Total Asiatic catch

6,595

Number
of skins.

Remarks.

374

Copper Island.

731

Do.

300

Do.

1,170

Do.

1,062

Do.

605

Do.

624

Do.

541

Do.

387

Do.

148

Do.

254

Do.

6,196

399

June 13, 1896.

Sir: I have the lionor to acknowledge receipt of your uote of June
9, inclosing a note dated June 4 from the British ambassador to your-
self. iSir Julian's note is in reply to your letter of June 6, l.s95. I
have carefully considered the same and have the honor to give the fol-
lowing resume of tlie correspondence leading up to said letter.

On January 23, 1895, the late Secretary Gresham in a communication
to the British Government, stated that the slaughter of seals at sea in
1894, both American aud Asiatic, was unprecedented in the history of
pelagic sealing.

On May 17, 1895, the British Foreign Office by letter denied this
statenent, making the further assertion that in the season of 1891,
12,000 more seals were killed from the American herd than in 1894.

On June 24, 1895, you replied to the foreign office, calling to its
attention a serious error in the returns cited by it to justify the above
denial. This error consisted in the fact that in the figures cited by the
British foreign office for 1891 in said letter (British vessels, 49,615;
American vessels, 18,000; total, approximately, 68,000) there were in-
cluded 8,432 seals killed from the Asiatic herd on the western side of
Bering Sea by British and American vessels, warned from the eastern
side by American cruisers under the modus vivendi. Of these seals
6,(516 were estimated by you to have been killed by British vessels, and
1,816 by American vessels. You further pointed out that by deducting
these Russian seals, there was left a total of 59,568, as the corrected
pelagic catch for 1891 ; that, on the other hand, adding to the United
States official figures of the catch for 1894 (55,686), the estimated num-
ber of skins taken from the American herd contained in the 6,836 skins
landed at American ports and classed as "undetermined" in the
American returns, there was left a total of 61,838 as the catch of 1894,
fully sustaining the contention of your predecessor that the catch from
the American herd of 1894 exceeding that of 1891 or any previous year.

The British ambassador in his letter of June 4, 1896, incloses a report
from the collector of customs at Victoria. This report discloses the
fact that the original official returns of the British Government for
1891, upon which the said Government based the above mentioned
denial, were in error, as claimed by you, in that they included, as a
part of the catch, from the American herd some 6,595 seals killed by
11 British vessels in liussian waters from the Asiatic herd.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 377

Notwithstanding? this admitted error, the original denial of the Brit-
ish Government is still maintained in said letter of June 4. Sir Julian
calls attention therein to the facts that in the return of the pelagic
catch for 1894, the Indian catch ofl" the British Columbian coast (3,1)89)
was included; he claims, therefore, that the Indian catch of 1891 should
also be added to the returns of that year. This catch he states to be
1,953 skins. It should be noted, however, that although the report of
the British Commissioners (Appendix F) contained in the proceedings
of the Paris tribunal, does give 1,953 skins as purchased from the
Indians at Victoria in 1891, in addition to those killed at sea by British
vessels, yet the official report for 18!>1 of the Canadian department of
marine and fisheries, page 171, states the total catch of Indians in
canoes to be only 404. Assuming, however, the figures 1,953 to be cor-
rect, and adding these figures to the corrected British returns as shown
by your letter of June 24, the total pelagic catch would be Gl,521 for
1891, while that of 1894 was 01,838; thus eveu on the British conten-
tion the catch of 1894 was larger than in 1891.

Sir Julian in his letter deduces the conclusion from the report of the
collector at Victoria that in 1891 7,570 more skins were taken by British
vessels than in 1894. Your original statement, however, was not con-
fined to British vessels, but to the total pelagic catch, both of British
and American vessels.

The estimate of the number of American herd skins in the 6,836 skins
entered at American ports as "undetermined," contained in your let-
ter of June 24, is also disputed in said letter of Sir Julian. It is
respectfully submitted, however, that said estimate is substantially
correct. It was reached by dividing- the said 6,836 skins in the same
proportions between the American and Asiatic herds as the other skins
lauded at American ports where the location was definitely determined.

It would thus appear that your proposition that the slaughter of
seals from the American herd in 1894 was greater than in 1891 is
maintained.

As regards the number of vessels employed in the seal fisheries in

1891, the number stated, 115, was obtained from the appendix to the

United States Government's case before the Paris tribunal, volume 1,

page 591, and is believed to be as accurate a statement as can be made.

Kespectfully, yours,

Chaeles S. Hamlin,

Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

June, 13, 1896.

Sir: Further instructing you as to the scientific investigation to be
made by you of the present condition of the fur-seal herd on the Pribilof,
Commander, and Kurile islands, I have the honor to state that Prof.
D'Arcy W. Thompson and Mr. James M. Macoun have been designated
by the British Government and Canadian government, respectively, to
make an independentinvestigation relative to the samesubject. Having
found it impracticable to rely upon the ordinary means of reaching the
fur-seal islands, they have been ottered and have accepted transporta-
tion and accommodations on board the steamer Albatross, and will be
granted the same facilities as yourself and party for conducting their
independent investigations. As regards the investigation on behalf of
the United States Government, you are charged with the arrangements
of the details both of the field work and of the work to be performed by

378 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the gentlemen designated to assist you, reliance being placed upon
your judgment to utilize to the best advantage tbe means supplied for
accomplishing the objects of the expedition. You are authorized to
direct the members of your party to act conjointly with you on all mat-
ters, or you may assign them severally to the study of separate subjects,
or to different localities, as you consider most expedient. The advisa-
bility is suggested for your consideration of sending one of your party
upon the Albatross to the Kurile and Eobben islands. Should you
need transportation during such absence of the Albatross, the com-
mander of the Bering Sea patrol fleet. Captain Hooper, will be instructed
to render you every facility.

Your final report will be expected to relate more specifically to the
group of seals wliich resort to the Pribilof Islands, but the Asiatic
herd may be investigated to such extent as seems advisable in order to
afford the opportunity for instituting comparisons from which important
deductions may be reached.

The princi[)al object of this investigation is to determine by precise
and detailed observations, first, the present condition of the American
fur-seal herd; second, the nature and imminence of the causes, if any,
which appear to threaten its extermination; third, what, if any, bene-
fits have been secured to the herd through the operation of the act of
Congress and act of Parliament based upon the award by the Paris
Tribunal of Arbitration; fourth, what, if any, additional protective
measures on land or at sea, or changes in the present system of reg-
ulations as to closed season, prohibited zone, prohibition of firearms, etc.,
are required to insure the preservation of the fur-seal herd.

Your inquiries should furthermore be extended, in so far as the time
and circumstances permit, to embrace the consideration of all important
questions relating to the natural history of the seals, both at sea and
on the islands, with special reference to their bearing upon the sealing
industry.

Your attention is specially directed to the following questions which
should be treated in your report.

(1) The effect of pelagic sealing in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering
Sea upon the fur-seal herd, due account being taken of the classes of
seals killed.

(2) What effect, if any, has the annual removal of bachelor seals,
which has taken place on the Pribilof Islands, had upon the fur seal
herd?

The solution of these two questions involves a study of the entire
subject of the relations of the two sexes and the proportion of the male
seals required to be preserved in order to maintain the stability of the
herd.

(3) Whether killing on land or sea has interfered with the regular
habits and occupation of the islands by the herd, or has operated to
reduce the strength of the seal race as a whole by a natural selection?

(4) The propriety of existing methods of driving seals from the
hauling grounds to the. killing grounds, culling, and other practices
connected therewith?

(5) The cause of the destruction of nursing pups upon the islandst
During the seasons of 1894 and 1895 about 20,000 and 30,000 dead pups,
respectively, were found upon the islands. You should specially con-
sider the causes of their death, whether from starvation or other cause,
preserving specimens whenever practicable.

(6) The extent, date, and causes or mortality on the islands of seals
of all classes?

ALASKA INDUSTRIES, 379

(7) The breeding" habits of the seals, with special reference to the age
at which the females begin and cease to breed, and the frequency of
breeding, whether annually or at longer intervals?

(8) The condition of female seals taken at sea as to nursing and preg-
nancy?

(9) The distance which the several classes of seals go from the
islands, and the direction which they take in search of food or rest at
different times during the season?

(10) The actual decrease, if any, in the number of seals in each class
on the Pribilof Islands which has occured during the past year, and
also since the year 1890, and since the year 1870? A careful census of
the rookeries should be taken this season for comparison witli the enu-
meration made in 1895 and previous years.

(11) An examination of the question as to the character of the food
of fur seals.

(12) Whether the Pribilof Islands herd of fur seals intermingle with
the Asiatic herds of the Commander or Kurile islands.

(13) Whether nursery seals nurse other than their own pups on the
islands?

These latter questions are merely suggestions to guide you in your
examination and report.

I have the honor, etc.,

Charles S. Hamlin,

Acting /Secretary.
Dr. David S. Jordan,

Falo Alto, Cal,

June 13, 1896.

Sir : I have the honor to inform you that Prof. David S. Jordan, presi-
dent of the Leland Stanford Junior University, has been appointed to
conduct a scientific investigation of the fur-seal herds in accordance
with the joint resolution of Congress, ajiproved June 8. There have
been detailed to assist in this investigation the following gentlemen:
Lieut. Commander Jefferson F. Moser; Leonhard Stejneger, esq.; F. A.
Lucas, esq., both of the National Museum, and Charles H. Townsend,
of the United States Fish Commission. The United States Fish Com-
mission steamer Albatross has also been assigned for this purpose.

I have the honor to request that you send to Professor Jordan, care
United States Fish Commission steamer Albatross, Seattle, Wash., a
copy of the Foreign Relations of the United States for 1895, part 1;
also copy of the proceedings, 14 volumes, before the Paris Tribunal of
Arbitration, ijublished under the auspices of the State Department.

I shall be able to advise you to-morrow when the Albatross will sail
in order that you may communicate with the British Government as to
the gentlemen who are to take passage thereon, in behalf of said
Government.

Respectfully, yours,

C. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary.

The Secretary of State.

38t) alaska industries.

Department of State,

Washington, June 12, 1896.

Sir: Referring to your letter of the 27th of September last, relative
to a report received by you from Oapt. C. L. Hooper, of the Revenue-
Cutter Service, commanding the Bering Sea fleet, concerning the circum-
stances attending the seizure of the British sealing schooner Beatrice,
and with reference also to the subsequent corres])ondence on the sub-
ject as noted below, I have the honor to inclose for your information
and consideration a copy of a note of the 9th instant, from the British
ambassador at this capital in regard to the matter of prosecuting an
appeal in the case.

You will observe that the ambassador states that Her Majesty's Gov-
ernment does not consider that it would be justified in proceeding with
an appeal unless this Government is prepared to bear the cost of pursu-
ing it and to satisfy any damages which the court of ajjpeal may award.

Awaiting an expression of your views in regard to the subject, I have
tile honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

The Secretahy of the Teeasury.

Richard Olney.

[Inclosures.]

No. 208.] Department of State, WasMngton, Octoherl, 1S95.

Excellency: I have the houor to inform you that from a report dated the 21st
ultimo, received at the Treasury Department from Capt. C. L. Hooper, E.G. 8., com-
manding the Bering Sea iieet, it appears tbat on the morning of August 20 last, in
latitude 54° 5i' 03" north, longitude 168° 31' 21" west, the British sealing schooner
Beatrice, of Vancouver, was boarded by two officers from the revenue steamer Rush
and found to have 147 seal skins on board, while her official log recorded but 64, and
that 4 of the skins showed evidence that the seals had been shot, and that he seized
the Beatrice, her tackle, cargo, etc., for violations of the fifth article of the regula-
tions of the Paris award, set forth in the British act of Parliament known as the
Bering Sea award act, 1894.

In view of the report made by Captain Hooper as to the shooting of seals, the
Treasury Department has instructed that officer to prejiare and file an amended
declaration with the commander of H. M. S. Pheasant, specifying the killing of seals
with firearms by the crew of the Beatrice in Bering Sea in violation of the sixth
article of the regulations referred to and of the Bering Sea award act.
I have the honor, etc.,

EicHARD Olney.

His Excellency Sir Julian Pauncefote, G. C. B., G. C. M. G.

No. 361.] Department of State, WasMngton, April 3, 1896.

Excellency: Adverting to my note of October 1 last, I have the honor to request
that Her Majesty's Government will direct that an appeal be taken to the proper
court from the decision of the British Columbian court in the case of the British
sealing schooner Beatrice, of Vancouver, seized by the United States reveuue cutter
Bush, on August 20, 1895, for violation of the regulations of the Paris award and the
Bering Sea award act of 1894.

I have the honor, etc., Richard Olney.

His Excellency Sir Julian Pauncefote, G. C. B., G. C. M. G.

Washington, April 7, 1896.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note, No. 361, of the 3d
instant, requesting that Her Majesty's Government will direct that an appeal be
taken to the proper court from the decision of the British Columbian court in the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 381

case of the Britisli sealinfj schooner Beatrice, of Vancouver, seized by the United
States revenue cutter Rush on August 20, 1895, for violation of the regulations of the
Paris award and the Bering Sea award act of 1894.

I have not failed to bring this matter to the notice of Her Majesty's principal
secretary of state for foreij;n affairs.
I have the honor, etc..

Julian Pauncefote.

Hon. Richard Olney.

Washington, June 9, 1896.

Sir: With reference to my note of the 7th April last and to previous correspond-
ence in regard to the case of the British sealing schooner Beatrice, I have the honor
toinformyou that I am in receipt of a dispatch from Her Majesty's secretary of
state for foreign affairs, stating tbat he has considered, in communication with the
secretary of state for the colonies, the request contained in your note to me, No. 361,
of 3d April, that an appeal should be taiien from the decision of the British Colum-
bian court.

The Marquess of Salisbury observes that it will be seen, on referring to the text of
the judgment, that the court distinctly stated that the delay in posting up the log
was not unreasonable in the circumstances, and further implied that even if the
proceedings had been taken against the master for a personal penalty under the
merchant shipping act, a conviction wonld not have been obtained.

The legal point raised in the judgment is, however, a novel one, and it may be
desirable to obtain a definite decision from a higher court as to whether the penalty
for infringing the regulation requiring the entry in the otificial log l)ook of particu-
lars of every seal-fishing operation is determined by section 1 (2) of the Bering Sea
award act, 1894, or by the provisions of the merchant shipping act as to the keeping
of logs.

The intention of section 1 (3) of the Bering Sea award act would seem to have
been to compel the keeping of logs by small seal fishing vessels which are not
required by the merchant shipping act to do so, rather than to define the penalty for
breach of the award regulation, which prescribes special log entries; and it would
seem to have been contemplated that the vessel should be liable for any breach of
these regulations.

But the decision as regards the case of the Beatrice appears to Her Majesty's Gov-
eriuiieut to have been substantially in accordance with justice, and if an appeal is
to be taken in order to settle the above point it would not, in their opinion, be fair to
throw upon the owners of the vessel the trouble and cost of defending the appt-al.

I am instructed by the Marquess of Salisbury to state to you that for the reasons
briefly indicated above, Her Majesty's Government do not consider that they would
be justified in proceeding with an appeal unless the United States Government are
prepared to bear the cost of pursuing it and to satisfy any damages which the court
of appeal may award.
I have, etc.,

Julian Pauncefote.

Hon. Richard Olney.

Department of State, Washington, June 12, 1S96.
Excellency: With reference to my note to you of the Ist of October last, in rela-
tion to the seizure of the British sealing schooner Beatrice, and to the subsequent
correspondence concerning the subject, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
of your note of the 9th instant, in regard to the question as to an appeal of the case,
and to inform you that the matter is receiving consideration.
I have the honor, etc.,

Richard Olney.

His Excellency Sir Julian Pauncefote, G. C. B., G. C. M. G.

June 15, 1896.
Sir: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of June 12, inclos-
ing a copy of a note of the 0th instant from the British ambassador
with relation to your request that the decision of the court in the case
of the British sealing schooner Beatrice be appealed from. In said
letter the British ambassador states that Her Majesty's Government

382 . ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

does not consider that it will be justified in proceeding with an appeal
unless this Government is prepared to bear the costs of the same and
to satisfy any damages which the court of appeals may award.

cruder these circumstances, I am of the opinion that our request for
an appeal should not be pressed. My object in asking that this appeal
be taken was because of the action of the court in referring the case
to arbitrators to assess the damages to which the sealing schooner was
entitled on account of tbe seizure thereof. I assume that the United
States Government will in no event be liable for tbe amount found due
by such a tribunal, it not having been a i)arty to the case.

On this assumption I base my opinion that it would be unwise to
press for an appeal, thereby becoming a party to the case.
Respectfully yours,

C S. Hamlin, Acting tSecretary.

The Slcketary of State.

SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA.

E E r O K 1' s

OK

SPECIAL AGENTS PRAOHT. LIJTTRELL, AiND MURRAY

FOR

THE YEAKS 1892, 1893, 1891, 1895.

383

rREPORTS OF AGENTS FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE SALMON FISHERIES OF

ALASKA.]

REPORT OF SPECIAL AGENT PRACHT.

Washingtoix, I). C, Jtoiuari/ J 9, 1893.

Sill: III accordance with the terms of my instructions, dated August
10, 1892, I have the honor to submit herewith a statement of my work
for the ])artial season of 1891!.'

A more extended report was made impracticable by the hiteness of
the action of Congress in making the necessary appropriation for the
protection of the sahnou fisheries of Alaska. The delay thus enforced
upon the agent made it impossible to leave for the scene of my labors
until the saiUng of the September steamer for Alaska.

Immediately upon my arrival at Sitka, I caused to be published a
"notice to packers of salmon within the district of Alaska," securing
300 extra copies of the issue of the newspaper containing it, and the
same has been placed in the hands of every owner, agent, or manager
having connection with the salmon fisheries of Alaska. The same is
herewith attached, marked Appendix A.

By rapid traveling, made possible by my thorough knowledge of the
numerous waterways, I succeeded in visiting all but two of the canner-
ies operated in southeast Alaska during the past season, having pre-
arranged meetings with the managers of those that I was not able to
reach before the cessation of active operations.

barricades and obstructions.

Within the letter and the spirit of the law, barricades or other obstruc;
tions, such as are described in the act of Congress approved March 2,'
1889, copy of which is hereto attached (see Department Circular No.
131, Appendix A), were reported to me to have existed in a number of
streams, and evidences of such having been removed previous to my
visit were found by me at a number of points. Without exception, all
the responsible managers cited to me that if the law was impartially
enforced, the corporations having the larger interests would hail the
result with satisfaction, and the assurance from the agent that all would
be brought within the strict pale of the law led to general acfiuiescence.

In the larger streams, such as the Stikine, Unuk, Taku, Chilkoot,
and Chilkat, effective barricades are a practical impossibility. Where
• tried, the forces of nature, such as drift and freshets, have cairied them
out. In several of these streams, tra])s connected with the shore have
been used, but, as such have not extended into or beyond the channel,
no obstruction can be said to have been maintained. In arriving at
this conclusion, I have the advice of the United States attorney, Hon.
Charles S. Johnson, Sitka, to whom was referred the case of the alleged
obstruction of the Chilkat River.

In the smaller streams, however, the partial or complete obstruction,
by means offences, dams, fish wheels, or traps, has been more success-

' This report has l)een printed in Senate Douimu-nt No. 31, Fifty-second Congress,
second session.

385
n. Doc. 92, pt. 2 25

0>^C) ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

fully maintaiued, aud, while all such operated by white men had been
removed previous to my expected arrival, the evidences to me were
conclusive as to their previous existence. In most instances, the fact
being known that an officer to enforce the law was appointed was suffi-
cient to cause a hasty removal of all such obstructions as were unlavvful,
and I am led to believe that for the latter part of the season the salmon
had unrestricted passage to the lakes which constitute their breeding-
grounds and which find their outlet^to the ocean through the smaller,
clear-water streams.

The most successful obstructionists of these small salmon rivers are
the natives themselves?. Those having proprietary rights to a salmon
"cliucic" find no difficulty in disposing of all the salmon they may
deliver at the nearest canning establishment, and with them the first
move is to barricade the stream a short distance above its mouth or
just above the confluence of the tides with the current, so that seining
for the mass of fish struggling to ascend the river is a matter of little
labor and productive, to the native fishermen, of desirable results. To
reach these violators of the law is practically inipossible. The natives
are mostly impecunious, and the collection of a fine is impracticable to
a degree.

In this connection, and also to enable the officer having charge of this
work to reach the more numerous and irresponsible violators of a law
which they do not entirely comprehend, it is, in my opinion, necessary
to revise aud amend the law, so that an alternative punishment, by means
of imprisonment, can be inflicted by the court. I am led to believe, as
the result of formal interviews with several representatives of more pre-
tentious establishments than those controlled by the natives, that the
payment of the fine of $250 imposed by the present hnv would not be
considered an insuperable hardship, and that in the height of the "run"
it would be to their advantage to ]iay the fine, " if convicted," rather
than lose the fish.

As to the possibilities of conviction under the i)resent Jury system of
Alaska, I will leave the prosecuting attorney to speak for himself. My
own ]n'evious experience has led nie into the belief that in cases where
the United States is the plaintitf tlie average Alaska jury is for the
defense.

FISH HATCHERIES.

Several of the more experienced fishermen have attempted the prop-
agation of salmon in the streams entirely controlled by them, and others
are said to be anxious to provide for their future wants by a system of
spawn hatching if the Government will sanction their means and meth-
ods. Application to the special agent in charge for permission could
only result in a reference to the law, which, if interi)reted literally and
enforced impartially, would prevent the maintenance of the necessary
dams in the hatching streams. A typical hatchery of this class has
been in operation at the works of Calbreath & Co., at Point Ellis, on
Kuiii Island, Chatham Straits, which can best be described as follows:

A dam has been constructed at a point just above extreme high tide,
with a second dam a short distance above it, with access thereto by a
suitable passageway, so that a person standing upon the lower dam,
armed with a scoop net, can dij) up the desired salmon from below and
readily transfer them into the stream above the upper or second dam,
beyond which there are no furtlier obstructions, aud the fish are left
undisturbed to finish their journey to their breeding waters, never far
removed.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 387

It is estimated that out of 500 female .salmon, to wlii(;li must be added
the requisite uumber of milteis, there will be fry enough to furnish all
the adult salmon required for such a cannery as tlie one operated by
them (since burned), estimated at 15,000 cases of 48 tins each, holding-
one pound each, and yet make i)rovision for the loss of young and adult
fish from natural causes before it is time for them to return to propa-
gate their kind in turn. There is much force in the assertion on the
part of experienced fishermen that the unrestricted passage upstream
of the hordes of ravenous trout, which always follow the run of salmon,
is lu'oductive of more d;image to the issue of the breeding salmon than
all other causes combined, and that by a system of hatcheries, such as
devised and operated at Point Ellis, the trout will not be able to ascend
the streams, and a much larger percentage of the ova will hatch out,

THE SALMON AND HIS ENEMIES

Beginning with the trout, which follows the breeding salmon into the
mountain streams and lakes in which he deligbts, the course of life for
the salmon is uncertain and erratic. His enemies are numerous, and
each in its way more than his match. If the male salmon succeeds in
fighting off the trout and protects his mate while she deposits the ova
in some apparently secure crevice in the rocks or in a hole scooped out
of the bottom gravel with his battered nose, and again covered from
sight, it is not yet safe from the marauding instinct of the sea gull and
the ijernicious search of the " saw-bill'' duck. If escaping both of these,
and in the early days of spring, the bunches of young fry, j)laying upon
the surface of the water while drifting out to sea, escape the frequent
dives of the kingfisher, they are in danger of being gulped by the schools
of herring which come up into some of the estuaries to meet them; or,
if by maneuvering along tlie shore in the reeds and grasses, a portion
manages to escape these heretofore unheard-of enemies, more of them
are destined to help make a dainty meal for the sea bass, whose upward
rush scatters the terrified little shiners, whose uumber is reduced at
each successive running of the gauntlet.

Once out to sea, lurking in the protecting fastnesses afforded by the
rocks, the young salmon is not yet out of danger, furnishing food for
the "big fish," not excepting the members of his own immediate family.
Having escaped the teeth of his own kind and grown to a size affording
protection as against them, we might follow him to the feeding grounds
or banks, where shark and dogfish feast upon him and the members of
the seal family are in unremitting pursuit. These enemies of the salmon
follow the schools, when at the age of 4 years they are impelled by
instinct and the promptings of nature to seek a fresh- water stream for
purposes of reproduction, and when caught in the gill net of the fisher-
men, unable to tiee, gorge themselves upon his delicate flesh. In addi-
tion to these, the birds of the air and beasts of the forests lay in wait
for him as he api)ears in the shallows of the streams; the eagle, raven,
crow, and hawk swoop down upon him from above; and the otter steals
upou him from his hole in the rocks; the bear wades out among them
and with a flip of his forefoot throws them out on the shore, there to be
devoured at leisure. It would certainly seem that when this valuable
fish has to contend with so many natural enemies the superior skill of
man should be held in restraint and wise legislation for his protection
be enforced.

THE SALMON PACK OF 1892.

The entire pack of salmon for the District of Alaska for the season
just closed is, as is shown by the tables in Appendix B, 457,969 cases,

388 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

15,252 barrels, and 4,245 luilf-barrels of salted whole salmou ; and of
salted bellies, 35 barrels and 36 half-barrels. In ordinary parlance, it
requires 3 barrels of salmon to produce 1 barrel of bellies.

As it will be seen, the total value of the aggregate pack at the market
prices ruling in San Francisco, the principal i)ort of distribntion, is
$2,064,340.05.

Based upon an average of cost of $2.73 j)er case and $6 per barrel (200
pounds to the barrel) and $11 for bellies, the profits of the industry,
while not excessive, are for the season just past fair and satisfactory,
and several establishments heretofore conducted at a loss are presump-
tively able to realize dividends this season. Among other causes lead-
ing to this result are to be mentioned the reduction inoperating expenses,
brought about by the more economical management incident to cooper-
ation through a board of trustees known as the Alaska Packers' Associ-
ation, and a very considerable falling off in the pack of the British
Columbia canneries, which has resulted in a better market and larger
demand abroad. Of these markets England and Australia are the
principal ones.

TIN PLATE.

Tin plate, which enters so largely into the cost account of tinned
salmon, was sold and delivered cheaper to the consumer for the season
of 1892 than for the two seasons previous, and contracts for deliveries
for the season of 1893 have been made upon a still lower basis, as will
be seen by a reference.

Lowest reiJorted price for season (duty paid, delivered at San Francisco and
Astoria) :

1891 $lj. 80

1892 r>.82i

1 893 5. 72

ALIEN LABOR.

A large percentage of the labor employed in the principal establish-
ments is noncitizen. British Columbia and Europe furnish some, but
the larger proportion are Chinese. The latter are employed principally
in work requiring great manual dexterity, such as making cans, tilling
cans, labeling, and packing. In some few cases Chinese contractors
employ native or Indian labor, and in a few minor instances natnes
do all the work usually done by the Chinese, but on the whole the sys-
tem of contracting with a responsible Chinese firm for a certain num-
ber of "hands" or to put up a pack of a specified minimum number of
cases for the season meets with the most approval. The introduction
of improved machinery, which has taken the place of much hand work,
such as can soldering and can filling, has brought the business within
such limits as to have a restrictive operation upon the tendency to
"strike."' The native fisherman has not been slow to avail himself of
the strike method as taught him by the more irresponsible European
laborers, but the cooperative management has apparently had a depress-
ing eflect, and during the season just passed no strikes were reported.

SALMON STREAMS HELD BY ALIENS.

During the past season some difficulties arose among the native fish-
ermen and a party of fishermen from British Columbia headed by an
educated half-breed from Victoria. Complaint being made to me, I
referred the matter to the United States attorney for his action and
his decision has had the tendency to discourage any further irruption

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 389

of like clianicter, Upou this matter 1 also corresponded witli tlie
Treasury Department, and in Appendix C will be found a copy of the
correspondence.

FISHIN(r INDUSTRIES OTHER THAN SALMON.

While salmon heads the list as among the productive food lishes of
Alaska, it is by no means the only profitable industry. A further
reference to the tables. Appendix D, shows the catch of cod as reported
by the two concerns engaged in this industry. Explorations by the
United States Fish Commission steamer Albatross have definitely
located a number of "banks" greater in area than those of Xewfouml-
land, upon which feed innumerable codfish of good size and superior
flavor, and it needs but a market within reach of the distributing point
of San Francisco to insure a permanent and ample supply.

As compared with the fisheries of the Atlantic banks, those of the
Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea are to all intents and purposes to be
preferred. The dangers to the fishermen are but few. The loss of a
dory or a man is so infrequent, and the climatic conditions so favorable,
as to reduce the risk to a minimum. Much of the fishing is conducted
from shore stations, located in snug harbors. The men are comfortably
provided for and well paid. A reduction in freights such as would
ensue from the completion of an interoceanic canal would, in my esti-
mation, place at the disposal of the millions of the people of the United
States east of the Rocky Mountains the delicious quality and inestima-
ble quantity of the Alaskan codfish.

OTHER FISHING INDUSTRIES.

Many of the inlets and lagoons to which access is had from the
straits^ sounds, and gulf of the Alexander Archipelago are, in their
season, full of herring, smelt, and capelin, and they all have their share
in the furnishing of the larders of the Alaskan housekeeper. There is
but one concern engaged in the business of preparing marketable
product from such sources — the Alaska Oil and Guano Cempany, located
at Killisnoo, Admiralty Island — and the productions of tliis concern,
such as herring oil and fish guano, find a ready sale m the United
States, Hawaiian Islands, and quite recently shipments by means of
sailing vessels have been made direct to England. As a fertilizer the
guano is said to be superior to all others in the production of sugar
cane, while the oil can be used by special preparation for all the ordi-
nary purposes to which linseed oil is put in the pre])aration of paints.

The output of this concern for the season is given in Appendix E.

HALIBUT FISHERIES.

Nearly all the inshore banks and sheltered bays contain halibut in
large quantities, and sporadic efforts have been made to find a market
for them. Canning has not met with success, but such would come into
demand were the salmon output much reduced below the present limit.
The fish when so prepared is delicate and toothsome. An occasional
schooner has secured a load of fresh halibut, packing same in ice
obtained from the near-by glaciers, meeting with more or less success
by shipping same in refrigerator cars from ports on Puget Sound direct
to New York and Boston.

Sun-dried or smoked halibut is a staple article of food for the native
Alaskan during the winter months, and salted napes and lins are

390 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

esteemed a delicacy by the Caucasian epicure. Some day iu the future
the halil)ut of Alaska may supply the place of the Greenland article
now sold ill the Atlantic States. The difference in the rate of freights,
when same are more nicely adjusted to competing circumstances, may
safely be met by the fact that halibut fishing in Alaskan waters may
be j>ursued with safety and comparative comfort during the entire
season. Some recently discovered grounds in and about Cordova Bay
and Dixons Entrance, along the southern extremity of Prince of Wales
Island, have excited attention, and at this time of writing a steam
schooner {Francis Cutting) is taldng a fare, and the visit may result in
the establishment of a station at or near Cape Muzou.

EULACHON, OR CANDLE-FISH.

This peculiar fish, a member of the smelt family, has achieved a
world-wide reputation as the candle-fish of the Northwest Indians, and
derived its peculiar cognomen from the fact that when sun dried or
smoked it is so rich and oily that the application of flame to one end
will cause it to burn as would a piece of pitch pine or '' lightwood."

A few years ago a considerable quantity was smoked and shipped by
a firm then located at old Fort Tongass, but the ditficulty in obtaining
same in the waters of Naas Eiver, the same being in British Columbia,
made the venture unj^rofitable. A small quantity is put up in salt
pickle upon orders, and the natives of the southern end of the Alaskan
panhandle secure by purchase and barter from the Tsimpsian Indians
of British Columbia a considerable quantity of eulachon "grease,"
which takes the place of lard in their domestic economy. At infre-
quent periods this fish has been known to ascend the Stikine, Unuk,
and Chilkat rivers, and may frequently be met with among the natives
at Fort Wrangel, Juneau, and vicinity. Its peculiarity in selecting
only glacial rivers in its spawning migrations and the fact that it can
be caught only by the insertion of small-mesh gill nets through holes
in the ice during the month of February tend to make it exclusive
and expensive. As the eulachon " grease'' is extracted by a system of
putrefaction, its presence in a native house is indicated to the European
nostril while he be yet afar off.

In addition to the foregoing, not less than 10,000 gallons of dogfish
oil, so called, produced from the liver of the dogfish and shark, was
extracted by the natives and sent to market through the medium of
the trading store. This oil, because of its heavy body and freedom
from grit, is a most desirable lubricant, and finds among the logging-
camps of the Puget Sound region a profitable market as " skid grease."
With improved lacilities, such as may l)e assumed will be at the service
of the special agent during the season of 1893, an exact report of this
industry may be expected, and for the season of 1892 the sum of 83,000
can safely be added to the amount heretofore reported, making a grand
total of $2,257,939.55 receiv^ed from the various fishing industries of
Alaska, as follows :

Salmon $2,064,340.05

Codtisli 104,062.00

Herring oil and eaauo, salted herring 86, 537. 50

Dogfish oil 3,000.00

Total 2,257,939.55

Respectfully submitted.

Max Pracht,
Special Afjentfor the Protection of Alasl-an Salmon Fisheries.
The Secretary of the Treasury.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 391

Appendix A.

Notice to Packers ok Salmon withix the District of Alaska.

In pouformitj' ■witli instructions iVom the Treasury Department, I desire to refer
all firms or persons engaged in the taking of salmon within the limits of the District
of Alaska to the follo-wiug:

[Circular. — 1892. Department No. 131, division of special agents.]

rrotection of the salmon fisheries of alaska.

Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary,

WashhKjton, D. C, Amjust 10, 1892.

To the officers of the CHsio7nfi in the Territorii of Alaska and all other persons concerned:

The attention of the collector of customs and all officers of tlie United States in
the Territory of Alaska, as well as all other yjersons concerned, is called to the terms
of an act of Congress approved March 2, 1892, wherein it is provided: "That tlie
erection of dams, barricades, and other ol)Structions in any of the rivers of Alaska,
■with tbe purpose or result of preventing or impeding the ascent of salmon or»other
anadronioiis species to their sj)awning grounds, is hereby declared to be unlawful,
and the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to establish
such regulations and surveillance as may l)e necessarj- to iusurethat this prohibition
is strictly enforced and to otherwise protect the salmon fisheries of Alaska; and
every person who shall l)e found guilty of a A'iolatiou of the provisions of this sec-
tion shall be fined not less than $250 for each day of the continuance of such obstruc-
tion ; " and also to an act approved March 3, 1891, entitled "An act to repeal timber-
culture laws and for other purposes," which provides that the United States reserves
the right to regulate the taking of salmon and to do .ill other tilings necessary to
protect and prevent the destructiou of salmon in all the waters of the lands granted
under said act and frequented by salmon.

Ofticers of the customs service and officers appointed to enforce the provisions of
the law referred to are hereby directed to report all cases of infraction of said laws
to the United States attorney for the District of Alaska, with a view to the prose-
cution of oftenders-

A. B. Nettleton,

Acting Secretar;/.

And also to the following extracts from the letter of instructions accompanying
my appointment:

Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary,

Washington, D. C, August 10, 1892.

Sir: Having been appointed as a special agent for the preservation of the salmon
fisheries in Alaska, you are informed that it will be your duty to ascertain and
report the location of every salmon cannery or saltery in Alaska; the capacity of
the same in cases, barrels, half barrels, and kits ; the pack in full for each season ; the
number of boxes of tin consumed and the cost of same; the number of employees in
each cannery or saltery, and the total thereof, segregating whites, natives, Chinese,
etc., male and female, adults and minors, and whether citizens or aliens. You should
also imlude in said report the codfish, herring, herring oil and guano, and other
such industries.

I inclose herewith for your information a copy of a circular, this date, relating to
the provisions of the frrst section of the act approved March 2, 1889, entitled "An
act to provide for the protection of the salmon fisheries of Ala.ska." It will be your
duty to enforce the provisions of said act, and to warn all persons avIio have erected
dams, or barricades, or other obstructions to remove the same forthwith, and in
default thereof you will report all the facts with the proper proofs to the United
States attorney for prosecution.

At the close of the season you will submit a full report of your labors and the

392 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

result of your observations under these instructions, with sucli recoramendatious as
you may deem advisable. Your official station ■will be Sitka.
Kespectfully yours,

A. r>. Nettlkton,

Acting Secretary.
Mr. Max PRAcnx, Washington, T). C.

Sitka, Alaska, Septemler 20, 1892.

A copy of the above "circular" having been iiroperly addressed to the person in
charge of every cannery and saltery within the limits of the district, and the same
consigned to the custody of the United States mails to be forwarded, all such are
hereby informetl that such is considered sufficient for purposes of "warning," and
that proceedings in prosecution will be instituted against all persons found to lie
violating the law.

Max Pracht,
Special Agent in Charge.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

393

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ALASKA INDUSTRIES, 395

AUiala fialmon 2)acl- — season of 1S92 — Continued.

RECAPITULATION.

Cases packed, 457,000, at $4.20 $1, 923, 469. 80

Barrel.s salted, 15,252. at $8 122,010.00

ilall" barrcl.s .salted, 4,245, at $4.25 18, 041. 25

Barrels of Itellies salted, 35, at $15 525. 00

Half barrels of bellies salted, 36, at $8 288. 00

Total 2, 064, 340. 05

Tin plate eonsiinied (49,239 boxes, 108 pound-s eaeli) pounds.. 5,317.812

Value of tin plate, duty paid, $291,660.60 ; duty at 2.2 cents per pound 116, 991. 86

Average cost per box, duty paid, for the season of 1892 5. 92. 33

Average cost of canned salmon, per case of 4 dozen, in 1-pound tins, delivered at San

Francisco 2. 73

Note.- Size of sheet of tin ])lato, 14 by 20 inches; 112 .sheets (108 poiiiids) to a box. A box of tin
makes 448 cans. The cost, as reported, is duty paid at San Francisco, Astoria, or at the works. The
rate of duty is 2.2 cents per pound, or $2,376 per box. The amount of drawback allowed upon expor-
tation equals about 25 cents per case, or $2 per box of tin.

Appendix C.

Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary,

TVasliington, D. C, January 16, 1893.

Sir : Referring to your report of the 2d. ultimo, in relation to disputed claims
npon Alaska fishery locations and particularly to your inquiry whether or not aliens
may claim and hold salmon fisheries or control streams that carry salmon in Alaska,
I inclose herewith for your information cojiy of an opinion, dated the 28th ultimo,
of the Acting Solicitor of the Treasury, to whom the subject was referred.
Resjiectfully, yours,

O. L. Spalding, AcHmj Secretary.
Mr. Max Pracht,

Special Afjent, Sitka, Alaska.

Departsient of Justice,
Office of the Solicitor of Treasury,

Washington, D. C, Novemhcr S8, 1893.

Sir: Inquiry is made hy Special Agent Max Pracht "whether aliens can claim
and hold salmon fisheries, or control streams that carry salmon, in Alaska?"

In reply to your reference of said inquiry, I have to advise you that aliens have no
such right. Besides, Congress has reserved to the United States the exclusive right
to regulate the taking of salmon, and to prevent the destruction of .salmon, in Alaska.
See section 14, act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat., p. 1095), and act of March 2, 1889
(25 Stat., p. 1005).

The letter referred to is herewith returned.
Very resjjectfully,

F. A. Reeve, Acting Solicitor.

The Secretary of the Treasury.

396

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Appendix D.

Codfish indusiry of Alaska.
[Collated by Max Praclit, special agent.]

Weight.

Other products
(tongues and
sounds).

"p
u
a

S
a>

CS

Name of company and stations
and trading posts.

Name of vessels em-
ploj'ed.

i

5

>

Total value.

'3
>

o
O

The McCollam Fishing and
Trading Co. :
Shumagiu Islands, five
stations ; principal store,
Pirate Cove.
Okhotsk Sea. station at
Petropaulovski.
Lynde and Hougli Co. :

Sand Point. Topoft' Island . .

Unga, Junga

Nelson Island. SanakGroup

Company Harbor,' Sanak

Island'.
Ikatuk Station, Ikatnk

Peninsula.
New Station, Henderson

Schooner Czarina,
three trips during
season.

Schooner Hera

Schooner Venture. .

IJarkentineFremoDt

Barkeutine J. A.
Falkeuburg.

Schooner John Han-
cock.

Schooner Arago . . .

210, 000

240, 000

83,000

125, 000

655, 000

Tons.
344
365
150
256

985

Tons.
310
330
135
225

887

$50
50
50
50

50

$94, 350
(t)

(t)

Shis.

[ 53
60
20

58

+166
135

i

$20 ... .
20 ....
20....
20....

•

tl2-....

Island.
Squaw Harbor, Red Cove ;

20

salmon stations.

1

,

' Eeport not ready. f Included in the above figures.

Note.— Pack of 500 barrels included iu the sahnon statistics.

+ Pickled fish.

Numher of men employed and compensation.

Total fishermen 142

Lay per 1,000 fish (including transportation and subsistence) :

Sb lima gin Group , $27. 50

Other stations 25.00

Dress gang, per mouth 25, 00

Splitters, per month 60.00

Salters, per month 50. 00

RECAPITULATION.

Total value of dried codfish .$94. 350

Total value of pickled codfish ], 992

Total value of tongues and sounds 6,520

Total value of oil 1, 200

Total 104, 002

Appendix E.

Jlaska lierriug fisheries.

[Statistics collated by Max Pracht, special agent.]

Corporatiou Alaska Oil and Guano Co.

Location Killisnuo, Admiralty Island.

Herring caught 89,220 barrels.

Product:

242,050 gallon.s oil, at 25 cents ^60,512.50

810 tons guano, at $27.50 22, 275, 00

1,000 half barrels salted herring 3, 750. 00

Total 86, 537. 50

Employees :

Wliite (including mechanics and crews of steamers) 49

Natives (including ti.shermen and refinery operatives) 45

Chinese (mess-honsc cooks) 5

Duration of season, live nu>nths (August to November, inclusive).

REPOUT OF SPECIAL AGENT LUTTRELL.

CONDENSATION AND REARRANGEMENT OF DATA EMBODIED IN
ANNUAL REPORT OF PAUL S. LUTTRELL, SPECIAL AGENT FOR THE
SALMON FISEERIES IN ALASKA, YEAR 1S93.

Mr. J. K. Lnttrell, the former special agent, had made an extended
tour through Alaska, visiting the various salmon canneries, and had
laid the foundation of a comi)lete and exhaustive report upon their con-
dition, etc. Owing to his death, however, before the latter object had
been accomplished, his son, Paul S. Lnttrell, was delegated to collect
data from the papers of the late J. K. Lnttrell, and to construct there-
from <is complete a report upon the condition of the salmon fisheries as
was possible. Such report has been submitted, but was somewhat
prolix, and in form but a verbatim copy of what letters he could find
bearing upon the salmon packing industry, and written by various per-
sons in Alaska upon the solicitation of J. K. Lnttrell. It is the pur-
pose, therefore, to present here, in a compact form, the substance of the
report.

SALMON HATCHERIES.

It is the opinion of the packers on the Karluk River — the greatest
breeding grounds of the salmon — that the supply of red salmon is
rapidly decreasing, owing to the increased catch, and that some meas-
ures should be taken to artificially propagate this species, in addition
to prohibitory measures. Tliese Karluk River canneries erected a
hatchery and achieved considerable success in the propagation of the
salmon spawn, several millions of the young salmon having been
hatched out. That hatchery, however, is now closed.

Mr. J. C. Callbreath has also erected a hatchery on Ethaleue Island,
and as the method employed at his hatchery is somewhat different from
that usually pursued, a brief statement of his practice is here made:
His hatchery is located on a small creek, practically useless, because
few fish visit it. This creek is the outlet of a small lake. The creek
is dammed completely across by two dams, one above the other, the
first 5 feet higli, just above tide water, while the other is 15 feet high,
and 150 yards farther upstream. The hatchery is located between
these two dams. No fish can pass either of these dams unaided.
When the salmon try to ascend this stream, they are picked up with a
dip net and passed over the first dam, leaving behind the trout, bull-
head, and other fish that prey upon the salmon spawn. Owing to the
fact, however, that the dams were erected so near saltwater, many of
the salmon, when they reached the barrier, did not attempt to pass,
but lay in salt water until they were ready to spawn, and when taken
up their eggs would not hatch out owing to the fact that they " ripened "
in salt water. The hatchery will be moved to a ])oint immediately on
the lake, where there is an abundance of fresh water, and where it is
expected much better results will be attained. As it was, Mr. Call-
breath turned out over 700,000 young fisli, where they had absolutely

397

398 ALASKA INDUSTRIEr'.

no enemies until they go back into salt water. The lower dam will
still be kept in position to exclude the pirate fish.

The gentleman recommends the passage of a law giving property
rights to persons producing fish under these conditions, where it can be
established that the fish are the product of private enterprise.

Bearing in mind the law which forbids obstructions placed over the
entire width of a stream frequented by salmon, Mr. Callbreath makes
a distinction between barricades and dams used as a means of whole-
sale slaughter of salmon and those placed for the purpose of detaining
fish until they are ripe, and for preventing interference from pirate
fishes. The latter class of obstructions, -while aViolation of the letter
of existing law, is deemed not a violation in spirit. "Fencing" can be
done only on small streams, and if but 10 ])er cent of the usual number
of salmon were allowed to pass the barricade and si)awn undisturbed iu
the waters above, the number of small fry hatched out would be greater
than if no obstruction were offered, and the sea trout and other pirate
fish allowed to work havoc among the salmon spawn and small fry.

HABITS OF THE NATIVES.

The natives, as a class, are intelligent, industrious, and peaceable,
finding their entire means of support iu hunting and fishing. A great
portion of the lowlands of Alaska have abundant forests of spruce and
pine, some trees 4 and 5 feet at the butt and running up for a hundred
feet without a limb. There are excellent facilities for farming and
herding, the climate being mild and moist. The thermometer seldom
gets below zero in winter, and 00° F. is the average for summer.

While the native male population is engaged in hunting and fishing-
there being a separate time for each — the women gather various kinds
of roots, berries, and barks, which are preserved in seal grease, and
eaten during the winter. The natives around Yukatat Bay catch about
1,000 hair seal every year, a portion of the fiesh of which is dried, while
the fat is boiled down into grease. Of this great quantities are used,
everything they eat being cooked with it. They compare it to the
"Boston man's butter.''

The nati\'es practice both polygamy and polyandry, although but
few instances of the latter relation exist at present. This is due to a
X^eculiar custom in vogue among them, namely, that when one of a mar-
ried couple dies the relatives of the deceased take all the worldly goods
the pair might have accumulated and divide them among themselves,
leaving thesurvivor nothing but a heavy heart and the clothes on his
back. To a woman left a widow with a half dozen children this prac-
tice works great hardship. To guard against this hardship a man gen-
erally becomes possessed of two wives or more, and when one of them
dies the surviving wives still remain joint owners of his goods and
chattels, and the involuntary division of his property among the rela-
tives of the deceased is thereby avoided. Polygamy, it would seem, is
a blessing to an industrious native, for on the death of one wife her
relations can not step in and take away that which he has been a life-
time in accumulating.

The Swedish Missionary Society, whose headquarters are at Chicago,
has been doing good work among these natives — estabMshing a school,
and taking among them a number of native children to educate and raise.
Unfortunately, their main building was destroyed by fire recently, and
the mission practically closed. But the mission owns a small sawmill,
and they expect soon to get out the lumber aiul build up again.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 399

THE "POTLATCH."

One of tlie luost curious of the mauy remarlcable customs of tlie
natives is the " potlatch,"' and a description of it at some length would
seem not out of place. The meaning of the potlatch is very broad, and
signifies that which is given by one Indian to another, or by one tribe
to another tribe, whether as a pure present, in payment for an assault
committed, for an imaginary cause of death, for accidental homicide,
or for murder.

In the first case, should a man desire to make himself popular and
rise in the estimation of his fellows to the dignity of a big chief, he col-
lects, by great efforts, a considerable quantity of blankets, cami)hor-
wooii trunks, biscuit, molasses, Cabot W. blankets, etc., and distrib-
utes everything he has among the other members of the tribe, crowning
the distribution with a feast, and, if hoocherioo can be obtained, a
"drunk." When all has been consumed, his object has been attained
and his prominence in the tribe is assured. He is a big man according
to the si/e of his potlatch, which is not so barbarous after all.

In case of an assault, wliich is very rare, the friends of the man who
is worsted will demand a potlatch from the conqueror to salve the
wounded feelings or disfigured face, and they are always paid without
regard to the merits in the case.

To illustrate a potlatch for an imaginary cause of death, there is
instanced the case of a boy who owned a small skiff and who invited
other boys to go with him in the skiff after berries. While away they
all ate of some poisonous root, from the effects of which one of the boys
died. His relations demanded payment from the father of the boy who
owned the skiff, their argument being that if the boy had no boat he
could not have taken the other boys with him, and, of course, none of
them would have eaten the poisonous root and died They got the
potlatch, but it almost resulted in a fight.

Should an Indian accidentally kill another, his relations are made to
pay heavily for the death, and if the two principals are members of
different tribes the demand is nuich greater, amounting in some actual
instances to more than |2,000. The whole tribe of the one who did the
killing assist in the payment. For murder of a male Indian a similar
payment is required, but if a female is killed a few blankets will suffice.

A potlatch is given upon the demolition of an old house, and also
after the death of any member of the tribe. But it seems the most
prolific source of potlatching is the erection of new houses. The loca-
tion for the new building is selected at a "smoking council" of the
tribe, after which the erection is commenced, the owner being assisted
by such members of his tribe as are experts. As it nears completion
another council is held, at which is decided the date of the potlatch.
The whole tribe is notified, and each member is expected to contribute
something toward the potlatcli and the subsequent feast. On the
eventful morning all assemble at the new house, each in his best, with
the exposed portions of their bodies covered with paint and further
embellished with wads of cotton pasted at irregular intervals on the
face and in the hair. The festivities commence with a dance, the women
executing a species of side shuffle, while the men augment the enthusiasm
by stamping their feet. Everybody sings. When the song and danc-
ing are finislied, some one hands up a bolt of <'-alico, or some blankets,
handkerchiefs, soap, or what not, at the same time mentioning the
n line of the person or ])ersons to whom the donor desires the present
to be given. (It is well to mention, parenthetically, that the potlatch

400 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

presents and feast are given to members of opposite tribes.) The pres-
ent, whatever it may be, is divided or torn into as many portions as
donees, and then presented, after which more singing- and more presents
until everything is given away. This may last twenty-four or forty-
eight hours, the women during this time nevtr leaving tlie house, and
eating nothing save an occasional cracker which may have been pre-
sented to them, moistening their throats, as they become dry, with the
juice of tobacco, made moist in a can of water.

After the potlatch comes the feast. Rice has been cooked and
seasoned with molasses aud seal oil; boxes of sugar and biscuit opened,
and an abundance of the omnipresent seal grease provided. Every
available receptacle, from a washtub to au old tin can, is used for pass-
ing around the food, and everybody eats until their stomachs rebel,
go outside, relieve themselves by vomiting, and return to the attack
until all has been consumed. They know no such thing as stopping at
an intermediate point. The potlatch aud subseipient feast must exceed
the cost of the simple structure in honor of which it is given many times.

THE ISLAND OF AFOGNAC.

Mr. A. Lasey, United States deputy surveyor for Alaska, accom-
panied the late J. K. Luttrell during a greater portion of his travels
among the various canneries, and especially among those on the Kar-
luk liiver and on the island of Afognac. Mr. Luttrell had thoroughly
discussed with him in regard to these canneries, and had communicated
to him his ideas and the recommendations he would make in his report
with reference thereto. He therefore presents, upon request, Mr. Lut-
trell's ideas and conclusions on the subject of the better protection of
the salmon fisheries and the proposed establishment of a Government
hatchery on the island of Afognac.

This island has been recently condemned and set apart as a Govern-
ment reservation, the object being to use the same for the purpose of
a hatchery. It is the second largest island in northwest Alaska,
containing an area of over 600 square miles. It is mountainous, and
the lower parts are covered with a thick growth of valuable pine, from
which most of the small schooners and boats employed in hunting and
trading have been built. On it fur-bearing animals, such as brown
and black bear, silver-gray fox, and other small game, are found. There
is on its coast one settlement of about 200 inhabitants, natives and
Creoles, and has a church, two stores, and a schoolhouse. The poi)ula-
tion depend for their living on hunting, fishing, and cutting wood for
export to the more southerly i)oints of Alaska, the jieninsula and adja-
cent islands being entirely devoid of timber, even for domestic purposes.
On it there are a half dozen canneries, the value of two of which exceed
$100,000. The Afognac Eiver, on Avhich it is intended to erect the
hatchery, is filled with rapids and natural obstructions, so that the num-
ber of salmon endeavoring to ascend this river to spawn is comi:)ara-
tively snmll. The greater portion of the fish caught in Afognac Bay
are passing schools.

In marked contrast to this is the Karluk River and Lake on Kodiak
Island — the great natural breeding ground of the salmon. Immense
schools of the fish gather every summer at the mouth of the river, and
in former years ascended unhindered to the lake. On Karluk Spit, a
narrow tongue of land at tlie mouth of the river Karluk, are est;\b
lished 5 first-class canneries and fishing stations, and in close proximity
on the south side of the river 2 more, making 7 canneries in all.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 401

These cauneries pack away every year from 200,000 to 2r)0,000 cases of
red saliiion, eacli case requiring; on an average 11 fish, making a grand
total of from 2,000,000 to 2,500,000 salmon caught there every season.

The owners of these canneries, foreseeing or fearing that a few years
would bring about a total destruction of the red salmon ifno protective
measures were adopted, agreed among themselves not to fish on one
day in each week and on that day to leave open the mouth of tlie river
to afford the fish an opportunity of ascending to the lake. In addition,
they established a first-class hatchery, capable of turning out several
millions of young fish every season. This hatchery was located on the
bank of the Karluk Eiver at the head of tide water, about 2 miles
above the canneries. The hatchery, however, has not been in opera-
tion within the last two years. A very carefnl examination of it by
Messrs. Luttrell and Lasey showed it to be in very good order, requir-
ing* only trifling repairs. A competent person had been employed by
the canneries to superintend the hatchery, and had for his use a com-
fortable dwelling- house. The experiment proved successful in so far
as several millions of young salmon were hatched, but later on it was
found that the water used in the hatchery and obtained from a ravine
had become surcharged with impurities, covering the young fish with a
species of parasite, eventually causing death. This difiicnlty can very
easily be obviated by leading the waters from the Karluk Eiver to the
hatchery, a distance of about 300 j^ards, in an iron pipe or Avooden
flume, at a cost not to exceed $500.

This hatchery the canneries propose to turn over to the United States
Government, providing the Government is willing to operate it instead
of establishing a hatchery on the island of Afognac.

The object of Mr. Lasey was to make plain that Mr. Luttrell believed
Afognac Island to be ill chosen as a place for establishing a hatchery.
Its reservation would entail the destruction of several canneries located
thereon, the value of two of which is estimated at over 8100,000. These
canneries have already suffered great pecuniary loss by reason of the
compulsory closing of their establishments, and it would seem that a
claim for damages against the Government would i^roperly lie. The
United States would be obliged to purchase these canneries and other
improvements, and the amount necessary therefor would greatly exceed
$100,000. On the other hand, the owners of the Karluk River can-
neries have erected and equipiied a hatchery, and this these owners
have agreed to transfer gratis to the Government, and stand ready so
to do whenever the Government chooses to accept.

In view of these facts. Surveyor Lasey states that Mr. Luttrell, after
repeated conferences with the owners of the several canneries, had
decided to make the follov/ing recommendations bearing upon the
subject:

First. To abandon Afognac Island as a Government reservation, for
the following reasons:

{a) It does not require for the i)urposes of a hatchery an island con-
taining an area of over 600 square miles.

{b) The natural resources of the island, particularly the timber, are
needed not only by the inhabitants of the island, but by the whole of
the peninsula and adjacent islands lying southwest down to Unalaska,
and the closing of the island would seriously att'ect the whole country
and its industries.

(e) The Government would be obliged to purchase the canneries and
fishing stations and all improvements existing on the islands, the claim-
ants of which have already made application for ])atents and deposited
H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 20

402 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

tbe amount of purchase money in the United States subtreasury at San
Francisco.

(d) The value of these improvements will exceed $100,000.

{e) The shutting' down of these canneries during the present summer
has already caused the owners pecuniary losses, for which losses the
Government will most likely be held responsible in addition.

(/) The erection of a hatchery will cost several thousand dollars more.

{g) The improvements of the Afoguac River, to enable the fish to
ascend, will cost a considerable sum.

{h) That the Karluk River and Lake, being the great breeding grounds
of the salmon, ought to be the place for a hatchery, the more so when
the immense catch there, season after season, is considered.

The second recommendation Mr. Luttrell intended to make was the
following:

Second. To accept the oifer of the Karluk Packing Company, to turn
over to the United States Government this hatchery on the Karluk
River under the conditions specified above, for the following reasons:

(a) It will save the expense of building a hatchery on Afoguac
Island.

{b) The estimated cost of repairing the Karluk hatchery will be
trifling.

(e) Unless a hatchery is established at once at Karluk, and artificial
means are resorted to for the propagation of the salmon, in addition
to otlier preventive measures, the red salmon will soon be extermi-
nated, the yearly catch diminishing perceptibly, although a greater
number of fishermen are employed, and a great variety of seines are
used.

(d) It will not be necessary to purchase any improvements or vested
rights, saving thereby a great sum of money.

(e) 'No improvements, in the way of removing obstructions, are
needed on the Karluk River.

Mr. Luttrell also intended recommending additional measures for the
protection of the salmon fisheries:

First. To j)rohibit entirely fishing in the river except by natives for
their own use.

Secoiul. To suspend all fishing operations during two days of each
week, or limit the season's catch to a specified number of cases during
a certain number of years, to give the fish an opportunity to recuperate.

Third. To leave <i space of 100 yards wide, from tbe mouth of the
river to deep water, open at all times for the fish to enter the river.

Fourth, Xot to tolerate any obstructions in the shape of dams or
wiie fences in the river.

Fifth. Violation of any adopted protective measures to be punished
by a fine and imprisonment.-

Sixth. To appoint a proper officer to reside during the fishing season
at Karluk, whose duty it shall be to see that all i^rotective measures
are strictly observed.

No attempt has been made to afford data from which to base an esti-
mate of the total number of cases of salmon packed by the various
canneries, or the total value of all the canning plants. Hence it is
utterly impossible to compile such statement from this report.

The suggestion is made that the attention of the Government should
be directed to the wanton destruction of deer by the natives. Mr.
Wadleigh, of the North Pacific Trading and Packing Company, of San
Francisco, who makes the suggestion, states that it is no uncommon
thing for a party of natives to go out and return in a few days with 25

ALASKA INDUSTBIES. 403

01' 50, and sometimes more, deerskitis. No use whatever is made of the
carcasses, and they are allowed to rot where the auimal has been
skiimed. At the present rate of destruction it will be but a few years
before deer will become extinct. He recommends the enactment of a
law similar to that in force in British Columbia, prohibiting the expor-
tation of deerskins.

The report contains the draft of a bill the object of which is to better
protect the salmon fisheries in Alaska. A copy of such draft is hereto
annexed.

AN ACT for tlie better protection of the salmon fisheries of Alaska.

Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That the erectiou of dams, weirs, barricades, or other
obstructious in auy of the rivers of Alaska with the purpose or result of preventing
or impeding the ascent of salmon or other anadromous species to their spawning
ground, or taking, catching, or tishing for salmon by any device, save and except by
an Indian or Aluet spear up unnavigable streams more than one thousand yards
from its confluence Avith the ocean, is hereby declared to bo unlawful; and the Sec-
retary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to establish such surveil-
lance and regulations as may be necessary to insure that this prohibition is strictly
enforced, and every person or persons, corporation, or association or company who
shall be found guilty of a violation of the provision of this section shall be tiued
not more than three thousand dollars nor less than one thousand dollars and two
hundred and hfty dollars for each day of the continuance of such obstruction, and
the half of such "hues is hereby directed to be paid to the person or persons who
may give the information leading to the conviction of the guilty party or parties.

Sec. 2. That for the purposes of this act all streams in Alaska shall be deemed
unnavigable when vessels of six-foot draft can not ascend the same with safety at
ordinary high water.

Sec. 3. That the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries is hereby empowered and
directed to investigate all charges of illegal fishing brought to his notice by respon-
sible parties and shall, if he finds them well founded, instruct the United States
attorney to proceed at once against the oft'ender.

Sec. 4. Dams, weirs, barricades, or other obstructions shall be defined as being an
obstruction when a distance of one hundred yards is not left open at all times for
fish to ascend said rivers.

Sec. 5. That during each week one day of twenty-four hours shall be set apart,
and fishing in any manner, shape, or form on said day will be illegal and unlawful
and punishable by the fines as set forth in section 1.

Sec. 6. That for the purpose of preventing the further impairment or exhaustion
of the valuable fisheries this act shall take effect from and after its passage, and all
acts or parts of acts in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.

REPORT OF SPECIAL AGENT MURRAY ON THE SALMON

FISHERIES IN ALASKA.

Office of Special Agent, Teeasury Department,

Washington, D. C, February 1, 1895.

Sir : I have the honor to report that, pursuant to Department instruc-
tions dated June 12, 1894:, I sailed to Alaska, and visited and inspected
the salmon-canning establishments on many of the bays, rivers, and
streams of that Territory, an account of which is herewith respectfully
submitted for the information of the Department.

July 10, 1891, 1 sailed from San Francisco on board the United States
revenue steamer Rush, Capt. C. L. Hooper commanding, and proceeded
to Port Townsend, Wash., Avhere we arrived on the loth, and where we
were afterwards joined by Hon. C. S. Hamlin, Assistant Secretary of
the Treasury,

Jnly 23 we sailed from Port Townsend and steered for the seal islands
in Bering Sea, where we landed August 3, and on which we spent live
days going over the rookeries, noting their condition and the condi-
tion and numbers of the fur seals, and making inquiry into matters of
importance connected with the seal question.

August 8 we left the seal islands, reaching Unalaska on the 9th,
where we remained one day to coal ship, and then, on the 10th, we
sailed along the Aleutian chain and the Alaskan Peninsula, calling on
the way at Akutau, Akun, Belkofsky, Sand Point, Coal Harbor, Kar-
luk, Kadiak, Yakutat, Sitka, Taku Inlet, Juneau, Douglas City, Fort
Wrangell, Kassan, Loring, Port Chester, or New Metlakahtla, St.
Marys, Port Simpson, Nanaimo, and Vancouver City, where Mr. Hamlin
left the shij) and proceeded by rail to Washington. Continuing the
voyage, I proceeded to San Francisco, calling in at Port Townsend,
New Whntcom, and Astoria on the way down.

At Karluk, on Kadiak Island, we found what I considei* the finest of
all the salmon streams in Alaska, if not the finest on the whole Pacific
Coast; most certainly the finest from which salmon are at present taken
for canning purposes, quantity and (juality being considered, for I find
that nearly one-third of the entire Alaska pack for 1891 was put up at
the mouth of the Karluk River.

Assuming, then, that it is the principal salmon stream in Alaska, I
shall take it as a model for all of the others for the purposes of illus-
trating what I have to say about the salmon industry of Alaska and
of the dangers by which it is beset.

Excepting the great Yukon, which is navigable for thousands of
miles, theKuskokwim and a few others of minor importance, the rivers
of Alaska are small streams of from 20 to 200 miles in length, and many
a stream that is rich in the finest offish and of the utmost importance
to the fisherman is only a few miles in length — a mere drain for a very
limited watershed of high, rugged, and snow-clad hills, behind whicli
small lakes of the clearest, purest, and coldest water are to be found,
and in which the salmon deposit their eggs in season, and from which
hundreds of niillions of young salmon descend annually to the sea»

404

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 405

■wliere tliey remaiii until maturity, after uhicli tlicy return to their
native stream and dept>sit their ejii;s.

Karluk liiver, on Kadiak Island, is about 20 miles long, and flows
between high hills and over many falls or rapids from the time it leaves
the lakes above, at times widening- out to a breadth of several hundred
feet and again narrowing- down to less than 100 feet at its mouth.

Notwithstanding its diminutive size, however, there are six canning
plants erected there, which in the aggregate represent an outlay of
$500,000, and in four of which was canned during the season of 1894
230.000 cases of 48 pounds per case, or 11,040,000 pounds of lish, or in
round numbers about 3,2'i0,000 salmon.

Appended will be found Exhibit A, in which is given the number of
cases of salmon packed in Alaska from 1889 to 1803, both inclusive, each
case containing 48 cans of 1 pound each.

Exhibits B and C give an itemized statement of the work done at the
canneries in 1803 and 1894, the name and location of each cannery,
the number of men employed by each (white, Indian, and Chinese), the
apparatus used in lishing, the number of salmon taken and canned, the
number salted and barreled, number of steamers, lighters, and boats
used, the necessary sea-going vessels and their tonnage, and the value
of each plant.

Exhibits B and 0 contain the names of the canneries which were run-
ning in 1893-94 only. Exhibit I) gives the name of every known can-
ning plant and saltery in Alaska — 27 canneries, 14 salteries, and 1
herring fishery.

Exhibit E shows the distances a vessel would have to sail from Cape
Fox, in southeastern Alaska, to Nushigak, Bering Sea, it she called at
all the canneries en route, a total distance of nearly 5,000 miles.

Exhibit E shows the amoniit of tin consumed in the canneries in 1894,
and also its price and the amount of import duty paid to the Government.

It is not claimed at all that any of the exhibits are absolutely fnll and
comi)lete; on the contrary, I found it very difficult to find the offices or
headquarters of many of the canneries, and, when found, it was impos-
sible to get my questions answered by many of them.

For most of the information received I am indebted to the Alaska
Packers' Association, the E. I). Hume Canning Comjjany, and to Mr.
Barling, of the Alaska Improvement Comininy, all of San Francisco.

A comparison of the annual output from 1889 to 1894 shows that in
1891 the salmon-packing industry of Alaska reached its highest point,
with an output of 807,999 cases of 48 pounds each, or in round numbers
about 20,000 tons of fish.

The output fell ofC about one-half in 1892, since which time a gradual
increase is perceptible, until in 1894 we have an out()ut of 009,041 cases
of 48 pounds each.

From the best information obtained in Alaska — and an earnest effort
was made to gather it impartially — the salmon-packing industry within
the section embraced between Cape Fox and the Nushigak liiver has
attained the limit beyond which it is dangerous to pass; and that, if
we would perpetuate the salmon industry and keep it up to its present
grand proportions, measures of protection must be taken by which the
streams and spawning grounds shall be kept open and undisturbed at
all times, so that the fish may freely ascend and deposit their eggs in
season.

With good care and a due regard for'the future of the salmon indus-
try, millions of fish maybe taken from the Karluk Biver annually for all
time without injury; but it should never be forgotten that there is a

406 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

limit beyond which it is not safe to go, and tliat if we would reap an
annual golden harvest we must also guard the source of supply, and see
that nothing is done to either fish or stream that will changes the nat-
ural order under which the fish have grown to such numbers and by
which they may be perpetuated without abatement forever. Unfortu-
nately, the conditions existing at Karluk are not for the best interests
of the salmon industry, its growth or i)erpetuation ; and unless the
United States Government asserts its full rights in the premises by
enacting and rigidly enforcing laws for the adequate protection of the
salmon of Alaska, they, like the sea otter and fnr seal, will soon be things
of the past.

Paradoxical though it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that none
are more anxious to save and perpetuate the salmon than the canners
themselves, and yet their methods are such as, if continued, will very
soon destroy them.

Let it be borne in mind that all the canning factories in Alaska are
owned by three or four corporations in San Francisco, who have mil-
lions invested in the salmon-canning industry, but who have no inter-
est in the development of Alaska, and who, as a matter of fact, do not
add one dollar to the wealth of the young Territory from which they
take millions of dollars annually.

These corporations are rivals in the salmon-canning business, and
their rivalry is carried to such extremes betimes that bloodshed at any
moment will not surprise those who know the real conditions existing
there.

!Now, this bitter rivalry of great and rich corf)orations, if allowed to
continue, will eventually destroy the salmon, for, rather than allow A
to make a good haul of tish, B will dam the stream and prevent the
ascent of the salmon, or C will destroy the tish already on the spawn-
ing grounds and thus destroy the crop which would otherwise appear
off the mouth of the stream four years hence; or A and B will join
forces against C and actually destroy his nets and by force prevent
his iishing.

We had barely cast anchor at Karluk before we were approached by
the superintendent of one of the great canneries with a long list of
wrongs perjietrated on his company during the peaceful and legitimate
pursuit of their business.'

Landing, afterwards, we were met by a crowd of native fishermen
who had complaints to make to the Government about the way they
are treated by the Avhites, who take up all the streams and forbid the
natives to fish there any more.

After the Indians came the superintendent of aupther of the canning
establishments with a complaint that his rival over the river had broken
the agreement mutually made by them some time before, by which a
"close time" of twenty-four hours per week sliould be observed for the
purpose of allowing the salmon to enter the stream and ascend to the
spawning grounds for the purpose of reproduction.

This agreement was observed for awhile until a scarcity of fish in the
bay threatened a short output of canned goods, and then orders were
issued to not only ignore the ''close time" in future, but to go into the
river and take out all the fish that had reached the spawning beds, which
was done at once, and some 225,000 salmon Avere captured and canned,
and not a fish of that run was left to reproduce the species.

When the representatives of these great corporations tell us of the

1 See affidavit in Appendix.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

407

millions of mouoy tliey liave invested in the Alaskan salmon bnsiness,
and ask us if we can possibly believe that they would permit the doiny,-
of anything wliicli could injure the salmon or reduce the annual supply,
it looks so reasonable that tliey should be fully alive to their own finan-
cial interests that at first it is hard to realize that the salmon are being
destroyed very rapidl}-, and those who have not been on the ground
to see it with their own eyes are not to be blamed for doubting the
assertion.

It is nevertheless only too true, and a few words of explanation will
make it quite clear to the doubting ones.

It is true in a general way that the canners themselves do not fence
or dam the streams, but they bay the salmon from the men who do.

At Loring, for instance, Captain Hooper and Mr. Hamlin undertook
to enter the stream in a boat, but were prevented by a dam clear across
from bank to bank. That fence had been there for years, and the
salmon, running up against it in their efibrts to enter the stream
every year for purposes of reproduction, were caught and canned until
the regular supply was exhausted, and other streams were laid under
tribute to keep the canneries going.

No one had even thought it worth while to remove the old dam.

The gentleman who gave me the iiifornmtion has been a resident of
Loring for the i>ast eleven years, and knew of what he talked.

Among many other things, he said: "Because of the bringing of
whites and Chinese here from San Francisco the natives are crowded
out, and only about 6 per cent of those formerly employed can now find
work at Loring."

What is true of Karluk and of Loring is also true of every place in
Alaska where salmon are canned — wherever two rival canneries are
located on the same stream there are neither dams nor fences allowed,
but neither is there time given the fish to enter and ascend the stream,
and the consequence in either case is to destroy the salmon.

Wherever a cannery is located far enough away from rivals a dam,
fence, or some other mode of trapping salmon is resorted to and relied
on for a steady supply until the river is fished out.

Speaking to one of the superintendents at Karluk, and asking him
for reliable information, he said:

Wherever rivalry does not exist on auy fishing river in Alaska there generally exists
a (lam, barricade, etc., to wit, Chigjiik Bay, on the north side of the Aleutian Penin-
sula, is tished by means of a fence. There is a fence at Loring, in southeastern Alaska,
and there exists a fence in the small tributary stream at its confluence with the
Nushigak River, Bristol Bay, Alaska. Up in Cooks lulet, 3 miles below the mouth
of the Copper River, there exists a weir extending out into the inlet 400 yards, to which
is attached a i)ound net.

1 asked him, "How can the Karluk Eiver be made self-sustaining?"
to which he replied :

(1) By establishing a weekly close season.

(2) By prohibiting fishing in the river (excepting Indians with hook or spear).

(3) When it is too rough to fish on the ocean beach lish will enter the river if let
alone.

The fish naturally run to the river on the tuini of the ocean tide, but when it is
storming the fish are unable to enter the river by crossing the bar on account of the
flying gravel, which scares them otishore.

At half tide, however, when the bar is covered by 6 or 8 feet of water, the fish
make a break across the bar and enter the calmer water of the river.

When the salmon first enter the river they do not go directly up to the spawning
grounds or lakes, but remain for weeks in the brackish waters until they are ripe and
ready to spawn, and for this, if for no otlier rcnson, the Government ought to prohibit
the taking of the fish tliat have once escaped the nets below and entered the brackish
or tide waters of the river.

408 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

i liavo ever Lean consisteut in my advocacy of no fishing in tlie Karluk River, and
in 181^8 I started out to stop it.

One of my rivals, Mr. , came to me lately and said, ''You're a fool not to enter

into some ayreemont with ns; bring- — ■ in along with yon. Discard all those

expenses, boats and steamers, and save coal. It's money we'i'c after in this Territory.
We do not come np here to this God-forsaken place for fun. Form one grand big
fishing ])ool, even though you do not wish to can together, and work as I do for my
company at Chignik." I said, " How do yon do it at Cliignik? What economical
device have you got down there?" He replied, " I've got a fence in the river; I've
got a pound net on this side, and a pound net on tliat side, and one day I use one, and
one day I use the other. It iishes day and night, and it is the slickest thing you ever
saw, and it's a dead oiien and shut game. All I say is, ' Jimmie, go up to the trai> and
bring me down 15,(00 fish;' all they've got to do is to take a gang of men on the
lighter and she comes down with the next tide with 15,000. The next day I say,
' Well, boys, go np and bring me down 18,000 fish,' and they go and get them out of
the other trap, for while they are working one side the other side is fishing." I
said, "Why, Billy, that is against the law of 1889." " I know that," he replied,^" but
we are not up here for our health." I continued, " Then I am to infer from this con-
versation that you would have me enter a pool along with you and , decide on

the number of fish to be taken, divide the catch pro rata, lessen our expenses, hire
fewer men, use less seine, fewer boats, and double our profits by simply building a
wire fence across the river? " " That's the whole thing," said he, " in a nutshell."

The story told by my friend from Karluk is only a repetition of sev-
eral others, to the same effect, told by tlie leading citizens of every set-
tlement where we called, and so well did all of thom agree in the main,
I have no doubt whatever of their absolute truth.

Were it necessary 1 could mention the names of all who furnished
the information, but for obvious reasons 1 will only mention the names
of men who are in the service of the Government.

While we were at Sitka Captain liurwell, commanding the U. S. gun-
boat Finta, called on Mr. Hamlin, and during the conversation said:

It is a common occurrence when attempting to ascend a river or stream in a steam
launch to find traps, dams, and wire screens obstructing them in many places to the
utter destruction of the salmon.

I should have been happy to destroy them if I only had orders from anyone in
authority to do so, but no one ever asked me to meddle with them in any manner.

Speaking of the illicit distilleries and liquor smuggling iu Alaska,
and of the impossibility to find a jury to convict for such crimes, a
prominent official of Sitka said :

The same thing is true of the fisheries law, the land law, or any other law that
•would control white men ; a jury of white men can not be found here who will convict
a criminal of that class.

Traps are set, streams are dammed, salmon are prevented from ascending the rivers
to the spawning grounds, and are destroyed by men who have no interest whatever
iu the development of the Territory, and yet is impossible to find a jury to convict
the guilty ones, for the salmon men will stand by the liquor men, and the liquor men will
stand by the salmon men.

I could fill a volume with testimony like this; testimony given vol-
untarily by disinterested men and reputable citizens; but enough has
been said, I think, to show the necessity of the Government taking steps
to control the streams and save the salmon from extinction.

During our stay at Karluk we landed and visited the establishments
of the Alaska Packers' Association and also that of the Alaska Improve-
ment Company, Owing to bad weather we were unable to reach the
R. D. Hume Cannery.

We conversed with all sorts of men, from the superintendents dowu
to the native Kadiak fishermen, and they were all agreed that sal-
mon were decreasing in the Karluk Eiver, and that unless the United
States Government interfered to prevent it they would continue to
decrease.

Some of the men went so far as to say that in order to keep up the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 40!)

regular supply of canned >saluion some very inferior fisli were hciug
packed at some of tlie canneries that would not have been looked at or
used for any purpose a lew years ago.'

One of the most remarkable things 1 noticed at Karluk was the num-
ber of foreigners engaged as fishermen. Scandinavian, 1 )ane, and Ger-
man predominated on one side of the stream, and Italians (m the other,
while Chinese, exclusively, were employed within the canneries, clean-
ing and canning the fish and i^reparing the cases for market.

It seemed, too, that the bitter rivalries of the corporations are some-
times taken up in a more intensified form by the men and canied to
the point of explosion.

However that may be, it is true that the foreigners are brought from
San Francisco to fish the streams of Alaska, and that they actually look
upon the streams and fish as their own individual i)roi)erty.

The unfortunate native Aleuts, whose fathers owned Alaska and all
its riches of stream and forest long before Columbus was born, are hustled
out of the way of these Mediterranean fishermen with scant ceremony,
and forbidden to fish in their native streams.

They must obey. Appeal? To whom are they to appeal ! There is
no one within reach who would listen to them.

Dimly, in a sort of da/.ed way, they know something of a Great Father
away, away oft' in a place called Washington ; but how are they to reach
him? Whenever the American flag appears they fiy to the vessels car-
rying it to present a j^etition and recount the wrongs and the injustice
which they suifer.

Who cares anything for poor, dirty, ignorant creatures like them?
Who believes their story? No one.^

Landing at Karluk we met a committee of native men who, through
an interpreter, told us of how they were denied the right to fish for
themselves, and refused emidoyuient by the canners as well. It seems
that owing to the fact that seines were stretched across the mouth of
the river the salmon could not ascend the stream and consequently
there were no fish for the natives to get whenever they did attempt to
get any; and being refused employment as regular hands along with
the foreigners, they could not make a living.

That the natives may possibly exaggerate the wrongs inflicted upon
them; that they may magnify their suffering whenever they meet a
person who will stop and listen to their tales of woe, is possibly true
enough ; but it is equally true that the conditions existing on the Alas-
kan streams, irom which so many millions' worth of beautiful fish are
taken, are not the sort of conditions that will benefit the native Alaskan
either morally, physically, or financially.

Nor is it either Just or right that his best interests should be left
dependent upon the whim of foreigners who may come in and camp
down beside his stream and monopolize its treasures, while refus-
ing him either employment to earn or the right to fish to make a
living.

The other side of the story is told, however, by the superintendent of
one of the canneries:

Karluk, August 17, 1S94.

Gentlemen: In allowing tlie natives only to fish in the river I would say that at
certain times of the tide we are compelled to lay our seines from the month of the

'See letter of Commissioner of Fisheries in Appendix.

^Incidentally, a letter from an Alaskan cauner to Hon. Marshall McDonald has
l)een referred to the De])artment and to the special ai^ent for the protection of the
salmon fisheries in Alasku; iind as its story fully ilhistrates my meaning' I have
appended it to this report. It tells its own story.

410 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

1 iver so that they ^vill swing- with the tide, ov to avoid their doubling up or swinging
too far. We hnvo even to cross the river at its nioutli to worlc our seiues to tlie best
advantage.

This season our white fishermen have not caught any fish to speak of above what
virtually might be called the mouth of the river. Our white fishermen arc quite
willing, and have been for the past two years, to give the natives the privilege of
fishing the river above the mouth. The same is true of the Italians fishing for the
Alaska Improvement Company. They have not done anything against the natives
fishing.

The decrease in fish caught in the river is something too large to number.
Yours, truly,

S. B. Matthews.

Messrs. Chas. S. Hamlin and Jos. Murray.

We asked Mr. Mattliews whether the sahnon were decreasing- in the
Karhik I'iver, aud his reply was, ''The decrease in fish caught in the
river is something too large to number."

His words have been corroborated by everyone to whom I mentioned
the subject, and there were many who suggested tlie establishment of
"hatcheries" for the i)roi>agation of salmon, so that the present supply
might be continued indefinitely; and some of the canners offered to
donate to the Government a "hatchery" already prepared on the
Karluk Eiver, on condition of its being worked at the expense of the
Government; while others suggested a tax of 5 cents per case and 10
cents per barrel, on every case and barrel of salmon taken in Alaska,
on condition that the Government would enact laws, aud appoint agents
to enforce them, for the full protection of the salmon streams and the
perpetuation of the fish.

Before leaving Karluk Mr. Barling, of the Alaska Improvement
Company, sent the following letter:

Karluk, Aiifjust 17, 1S94.

Dear Sir : Herewith appended you will find a few suggestions necessary to the
protection of the salmon of Karluk River:

(1) Prohibiting all fis]iing iu the river above the first rapids, save and except by
Aleuts, aud their catch of salmon should be limited.

(2) To prohiliit fishing from Friday 6 p. m. until Saturday 6 p. m.

(3) Regulating the size of seine mesh used — not to he less than 3^ incLes stretched
mesh.

(4) Punishing the anchoring of sef nets at or near the mouth of the Karluk River.
This will insure the immediate and uninterrupted laying out of all nets.

(5) The use of purse nets should be declared illegal. Upon the head of jnirse
nets, I can assure you their use has often been deplored since their introduction upon
tbe Atlantic Coast.

(0) That a tax of.') cents per case be levied against the total pack of Alaska; same
to be collecte<l as the Treasurv sees fit to decide. This tax would raise upward of
$25,000.

(7) Operate the liatchery at Karluk out of the funds above raised.
Hoping the above will meet with your kindly ccmsideration, I remain,
Respectfully, yours,

H. J. Barlino.
Hon. C. S. Hamlix.

The idea of levying a tax on salmon packed in Alaska was first
broached to me by Mr. Barling, and, with a single exception, I have
found it favorably received by the canners.

Aftei- my return to Washington, and while collecting data for my
report, I compared several bills which had been introduced into Con-
gress, or prepared for tliat pnipose, by the friends of the several rival
establishments in Alaslca, for the protection of salmon. I had been
assured, too, by every salmon canner I had met that they were deeply
interested in the matter of full and adequate protection, and that they
hoped to see a bill passed and the law most rigidly enforced to that end.

That I might succeed iu framing a satisfactory bill 1 read many that

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

411

had been drawu or proposed in the House by the attorneys and friends
of the canners themselves, as well as the reports of the honorable
Commissioner of Fisheries, from whose valuable Kei)ort for 1892Ihav(5
made lengthy quotations.' I made diligent inquiry into the salmon
laws of Oregon and Washington, and that we might benefit by the
experience of those who have been protecting salmon for the past thou-
sand years 1 read Jinnd's Law of Salmon Fisheries in England and
Wales and A Treatise on the Law of Scotland Eclating to Eights of
Fishing, by Stewart.'

The following bills, which I respectfully submit to the consideration
of the Department, are the result of my investigations:

A BILL to amend an :ict entitled " An act to provide for tlio protection of the salmon fisheries of

Alaska."

Be it enacted h\j the Senate and House of Representatives of the Un ited States of Amei'ica
in Co7if/ress assembled, That the act approved March second, eighteen hundred and
eighty-nine, and entitled "An act to provide for the protection of the Halinou iish-
eries of Alaska," is hereby amended and reenacted as follows:

"Section 1. That the erection of dams, barricades, fish wheels, fences, traps,
pound nets, or any fixed or stationary obstructions jn any part of the rivers or
streams of Alaska, or to fish for or catch salmon or salmon trout in any manner or
by any means with the purpose or result of preventing or impeding the ascent of
salmon or salmon trout to their spawning ground within one hundred yards of the
mouths of such rivers or streams, is declared to be unlawful, and the Secretary of
the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to remove such obstructions and to
establish and enforce such regulations and surveillance as may be necessary to insure
that this prohibition and all other provisions of law relating to the salmon fisheries
of Alaska are strictly complitMl with.

''Skc. 2. That it shall be unlawful to fish, catch, or kill any salmon or salmon
trout of any variety, except with rod or spear, above the tide waters of any of the
creeks or ri\-ers or their tributaries in the Territory of Alaska, or to lay or set any
drift net, set net, or seine for any purpose, across the tide waters of any river or
stream, for a distance of more than two-thirds of the width of such river, stream,
or channel, or lay or set any seine or net within one hundred yards of any other net
or seine w^hich is being laid or set in said stream or channel, or to take, kill, or fish
for salmon in any manner or by any means in any of the waters of the Territory of
Alaska, either in the streams or tide waters, from noon on Friday of each week until
six o'clock postmeridian of the Saturday following, or to fish for or catch, or kill in
any manner, or by any appliances, any salmon or salmon trout in any stream of less
than one hun<lieil yards in width in the said Territory of Alaska between the hours
of six o'clock in the morning and six o'clock in the evening of the same day, of each
and every day of the week.

"Skc. 3. That the Secretary of the Treasury may, at his discretion, set aside cer-
tain streams as sjiawning grounds, in which no fishing will be permitted; and when,
in his judgment, the results of fishing operations on any stream indicate that the
number of salmon taken is larger than the capacity of thc^ stream to produce, he is
authorized to establish weekly close seasons, to limit the duration of the fishing sea-
son, or to ijrohibit fishing entirely for one year or more, so as to permit the salmon
tf) increase.

"Skc. 4. That to enforce the provisions of law herein, and such regulations as the
Secretary of the Treasury may establish in pursuance thereof, he is authorized and
directed to appoint one inspector of fisheries at a salary of three hundred dollars
per month, and two assistant inspectors at a salary of two hundred and fifty dollars
per month, and he will annuall^^ submit to Congress estimates to cover the salaries
and actual traveling expenses of the officers hereby authorized, and for such other
expenditures as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of the law herein.

"Sec. 5. That any person violating the provisions of this act, or the regulations
established in pursuance thereof, shall, upon conviction thereof, be j)unished by a
tine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or imprisonment at hard labor for a term of
ninety days, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court; and
further, in case of the violation of any of the provisions of section one of this act,
and conviction thereof, a further fine of five hundred dollars per diem will be
imposed for each day that the ol)8truction or obstructions therein are maintained."

'See extracts in Appendix. ^See Appendix.

412 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

A BILL eutitlid 'An act U) provide lor the i)rotectioii of the salmon fisheries of Alaslia."

SectkiN 1. That from and aftei* the passage of this act every person or corporation
engaued in the business of taking sahnoii in the waters of the Territory of Alaska
lor salting or canning ]»nrposes shall, on the first day of December of each year, lilo
Avitli the .Secretary of the Treasury of the United States a sworn statement of the
number of barrels, x)ackages, or cases of salmon so jiaclced, salted, or canned by him
or Iheui, and shall pay annually to the Treasury of the United States the sum of live
cents per case of forty-eight pounds or less, and ten cents per barrel for each case or
barrel of salmon so canned or salted by him or them.

Sec. 2. That the returns provided for in section one shall be made under regula-
tions to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury ; and all provisions of existing
law jis to omitted or false returns of persons or corjjoratious and as to jienalties, civil
or criminal, for such omission or false return under the provisions of the law providing
for an income tax, act of August twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and ninety-four,
shall; so far as the same may be aj)plicable, be in full force and virtue as to this act.

Bill No. 1 "was drawn as nearly in conformity witlj the Oregon statutes
as the difference in the size of the Columbia Eiver and tlie salmon
streams of Alaska would warrant; and a glance at the bill and at the
Oregon statutes will show that a yearly close time of three months and
a weekly close time of twenty-foor hours during the season in Oregon
is much more oppressive, in comparison, than a weekly close time of
thirty liours in Alaska. *

I have no desire to injure the men who pack salmon in Alaska; on
the contrary, I wish to see the canneries flourish and multiply and their
owneis ])ros])er so long as there is no danger of destroying the source
from which their prosperity is derived. But I do know that the history
of salmon in America isaliistory of hurried devastation and extinction
of the species, and 1 am anxious that the Government shall step in in
time to prevent its destruction in Alaska, and, like Scotland, enact laws,
and enforce them, by which the salmon may increase and nmltiply and
be perpetuated for all time.^

Bill No. 2 was drawn at the request of Mr. Barling and other large
canners, and it has been warmly indorsed by E. 1). Hume «& Co., the
Alaska Improvement Company, and others who are deeply interested
in the Alaska salmon industry.

The question of its constitutionality has been raised in certain quar-
ters and may possibly vitiate it for all i)ractical purposes, for which 1
should be very sorry indeed, for, looking at the matter from the i)ra('tical
standpoint solely, I say there ought to be full and ample protection given
to the food-fishes of Alaska; and if those who make millions out of
them and have millions invested in the business are willing to pay for
such protection, they ought to be allowed to do so.

Should those who are opposed to legislation looking to the protection
of salmon in Alaska succeed in defeating the proposed bills, however,
it will still be the duty of the Department to do everything within the
existing law that can ])e done for the perpetuation of the salmon.

History teems with evidence of the i'act tliat lYom the tenth century
till now the Scotch have had to wage a continuous legal battle f )r the
constant protection of their fisheries, and that their immense salmon
interests of to-day owe their origin, growth, and world-renowned suc-
cess to the tireless efforts of the men who labored for their protection.

'A comparison of the American and Scotch systems of salmon culture is given by a
friend, who says: "From the time of the settlement of the State of Maine l>y the
whites until there was not a salmon left in the streams, which, previously had always
been full of them, was about two hundred years; and the population was not yet
1,000,000 souls. Scotland, on the contrary, with a iio]>ulatiou of 3,000,000 souls, h.ns
more salmon now than she had one thousand years ago, when she very wisely enacted
laws, which have always been enforced, to protect them "

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 413

As my sole aim tlirougbout this inquiry has been to elicit truth for

the purpose of laying down a basis of action for the sure protection and

perpetuation of the Alaska salmon, without injury to any legitinuite

enterprise, I sent copies of the prepared bills, with the following letter,

to the principal Alaska cauners, and their replies and criticisms are

subjoined:

AVashington, D. C, Februarji 1, 1895.

Gentlemen: Please find inclosed copies of t\YO bills about to be introduced iu
Congress for the protection of tln^ salmon lisheries of Alaska.

They are essentially the production of all that has been suggested for that purpose
from time to time by the representatives and friends of all of the corporations inter-
ested in the Alaskan salmon-canning business.

The bills introduced by Messrs. Stewart, Mitchell, liobbins, and others; the sug-
gestions made by Messrs. Ilirsch, Hume, and Barling, and the reports and recommen-
dations of the Hon. Marshall McDonald, Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, have
been diligently examined by me, and it has been my honest intention and sole aim
to frame a bill that would lie as nearly just and equal to all interested in the per-
petuation of the salumn fisheries as it is possible to be.

If I have not succeeded in doing all that should be done, or if I have suggested
something that would be unfair or injurious, I beg of you to point it out immediately,
and I promise to give your suggestions the most respectful attenticm.

Tlie proposition to levy a tax of 5 cents per case and 10 cents p<'r barrel comes to
me directly from the canners themselves, and, from what I observed while at the
canneries, I am in favor of the tax, and I think it will prove a blessing to you who
have millions invested in the business.

The amount of the tax wisely expended by the Government in propagating and
protecting salmon will be of lasting benefit to all concerned, but more especially to
you who are deeply interested.
Very respectfully,

Joseph Murray,
Special Agent for the Protection of the Salmon Fisheries in Alaska.

Alaska Association,

San Francisco, Cal.

The following replies from the several firms addressed and from Mr.
Barling of the Alaska Improvement Company were received by me,
and are given in full for the information of the Department :

San Francisco, Fehruary ii, 1895.

Dear Sir: We have the pleasure to acknowledge receipt of yours of the Ist
instant, covering a bill as proposed by yourself, for the protection of salmon fish-
eries of Alaska, and in response to your request if you have suggested anything that
was unjust that we should point it out immediately, we wired you as follows:
"Letter received, with thanks. Bill objectionable. Same explained by mail."

And in confirmation of same beg to say that in section 1 you specify that the erec-
tion of dams, barricades, fish wheels, fences, traps, pound nets, etc., in any of the
waters of Alaska shall be prohibited. So far as dams, barricades, fish wheels, and
fences, we agree with you most strongly, but, as you are aware, the fishing grounds
of Alaska cover a large amount of territory, and what might be just and best for
one section are not for another; for instance, in Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet,
and Bristol Bay, where the waters at point of fishing are from 5 to 30 miles wide,
the use of traps and pound nets are necessary to make the business remunerative.
And as it might be necessary that the law be general, we would suggest that the use
of traps and pound nets be permitted in the waters of Alaska, but not to extend
over one-third the width of any stream — thus leaving two-thirds the width free for
the uninterrupted passage of the fish.

To make a close season from noon on Friday of each week until 6 o'clock p. m,
of the Saturday following woulil work a very great hardship in a district like Bristol
Bay, where the pack of red salmon is made in fifteen to sixteen days at the outside.

Referring to a special tax, we hardly feel it just that the Government should impose
same, when it is a fact that the Alaska salmon packers pay yearly upward of $100,000
from import duties. There may be locations that would warrant propagation, and
that a tax should be levied for that i)urpose and for that direct location would
certainly be proper.

We beg to ask that, iu making laws for the protection of the salmon, you do
not lose sight of the fact that the canners who have large sums invested in propertj',

414 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

which is immovablo and of no value otherwiHc, can not att'ord to llsh streams or the
waters of Alaska in a way to the depletion of the lish; and also that they be not
asked to catch iish in so expensive a manner that they who are not producers of over
one-third the quantity of salmon which is canned shall have to do so at an expense
which precludes their competition with other localities, especially British Columbia,
as the tish from that river are superior to a certain extent and will always demand a
somewhat increased price, and therefore would comparatively shut out the United
States product if an increased cost of catching is demanded.

Another point which the cauners of Alaska come into competition are the waters
of both Oregon and Washington, in both of which the use of traps and pound nets
are allowed.

Hoping you will consider our suggestions in the tenor in which they are intended,
we remain,

Yours, truly, W. B. Bradi'okd, Secretary.

Col. Jos. Murray,

Fish Commissioner of Alaska, 1321 2s street }sW., TVashiuyton, I). C.

San Francisco, Cal., Fehruary 13, 1895.
Dear Sir: Your letter (and inclosures) of February 1 came duly to hand and have
particularly noted its contents, and in reply would say:

The act of 1889, would, if carried out, result in what we have no doubt the Gov-
ernment has in view, viz : The preservation of the salmon in Alaskan waters, and give
to each and all of her citizens equal chance and right to take salmon.

The bill of two sections, to provide for the protection of salmon fisheries in
Alaska, is, in our opinion, an equitable and just measure, and should become a law,
inasmuch as the salmon industry pays no tax and needs protection for which it
ought to pay, and we have grave doubst in our mind if any can be found to oppose
such a measure who wish equal and just protection.

The draft of the other bill, with all due deference to you, we herewith return, with
erasures that we think ought to be made.

Section 4, we would suggest, instead of inspectors, that you provide for policing
the rivers by United States vessels, and information that may be laid l)y responsible
parties, and on proof of violation of the law give half of tine to the informer. By
such a method we think the law could be enforced.

Hoping that the Government will accept our suggestions in the spirit in which
they are written, we remain.

Yours, very respectfully, Alaska Improvement Co.,

By James Eva, President.
By James Madison, Secretary.
Hon. Jos-. Murray,

Special Afjent of the Fisheries in Alaska.

Washington, D. C, February 14, 1895.

Dear Colonel: In compliance with your request for my views as to wherein the
proposed act, entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to provide for the
protection of the salmon fisheries of Alaska,'" is injurious to the salmon fishing
industry, I liave the honor to submit the following:

Section 1 of the proposed act provides, among other things, that it is unlawful to
"erect dams, barricades, fish-wheels, fences, traps, pound nets, or any fixed or sta-
tionary obstructions in any part of the rivers or streams of Alaska, or to fish for or
catch salmon or salmon trout in any manner or by any means with the purpose or
result of preventing or impeding the ascent of salmon or salmon trout to their
spawning ground within 100 yards of the mouth of such rivers or streams," etc.

As manager for the Alaska Improvement Company my duties compel my attendance
at tlie fishing grounds during the entire fishing season, and by virtue of my long
exijericnce as manager and director of the industry in the immediate neighborhood
of Karluk, I believe I have acquired more than a superficial knowledge of the whole
subject of salmon fishing as well as the peculiarities and characteristics of the fish
which inhabit those waters during the season for catching the same.

If the purpose of the Government is to construe tlie above-quoted provisions of
said section 1 so as to embrace within its scope the hauling of seines or nets, and
sucli seine or net hauling is to b(^ considered as "preventing or im])eding the ascent
of salmon or salmon trout to their spawning ground within 100 yards of the mouths

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 415

of such rivers or streams," siicli ;in iubibitioii or proliibition will tend to cause iucal-
cnlablo injury to the salmon industry, as well as to those now encased in the same,
who, by reason of their large interests, are endeavoring to promote the progress and
prosperity of the Territory.

In this connection it will not be inappropriate to detail one of the peculiarities of
the fish in their ascent of the streams or rivers for the purpose of spawning.

It is the nature of the anadromous species to enter a stream or river and follow
the eddy formed by the juncture of the fresh and salt water. This habit is better
illustrated by an examination of the accompanying diagram.

(' (' represent the outllowing fresh water from the Karluk River, which, by reason
of the rapids near its mouth, gives it a tremendous impetus for the last 300 yards of
its descent.

h represents the eddy of salt water formed by the outllow of the fresh water from
the river, on the Alaska Packing Association's side, the current of said eddy having
a trend toward the latter's beach.

a represents the eddy of salt water also formed by the outtlow of the fresh water
from the river, on the Alaska Improvement Company's side, the current of the eddy
in this instance trending away from the latter's beach.

d e represent the directions "in which the lish "stand'' inshore on their way to the
river and spawning grounds.

It will be readily seen that the entry of the lish in the eddy on the Alaska Packer's
side is in the direction which necessarily brings them closer to the beach; while the
opposite is the case on the Alaska Improvement Company's side, the lish in that
instance, and on account of the offshore trend of the eddy, a,re compelled to " stand"
inshore on a line parallel to the fresh-water current.

If we are prohibited or prevented from hauling our nets within the proposed pro-
scribed distance of 100 yards of the mouths of such rivers and streams, we will
practically be legislated out of existence, and the salmou-lishmg industry will be
ruined.

The gist of the whole controversy, developed within the past year, and consequent
on the abuses of the salmon-hshing industry, is that the salmon which enter the
rivers and streams and sport about in their natural playground should remain
unmolested and free from any avaricious motives on the i)art of those unprincipled
lishermen who, in order to further their own selfish interests, would conduct this
industry in a way such as would very soon cripple if not completely destroy the
species of tish which now frequent Alaskan waters to spawn.

Section 2 of the proposed act provides, among other things, for a weekly close sea-
son of thirty hours, or in the language of the section, "from noon on Friday of each
week until 6 o'clock postmeridian of the Saturday following."'

The number of tish entering any of the rivers or streams during the close period
of thirty hours each week is augmented V)y the number of salmon that will "run"
into said rivers and streams before the "laying out" or hauling of the nets, as well
as during the interim of these acts.

About one-iifth of the entire iishing season is stormy, during which time it is
impossible to "layout'' or haul a seine or net; but the storms do not prevent or
obstruct the entrance of the tish in the rivers and streams after the " half tide,'" and
conseqiiently the number is thereby enormously augmented also.

Under these various conditions a sufficient number of salmon will have entered
the rivers and streams to render extinction of the species impossible.

Special attention is called to the fact that it is above and not below the mouth of
the stream or river that it is essential, important, and necessary to protect the salmon.

It can not surely be the desire or purpose of the Government to injure or destroy
the Iishing industry of Alaska — an industry which is indissolubly connected with
the future progress and advancement of the welfare of the Territory.

I desire further to call your attention to the fact that the Alaska Improvement
Company was the one that forced its competitors at Karluk to fish the ocean beach,
as against the former practice of tishing in the river, and against the dam erected
therein, and it is the purpose of that company to aid the Government in any way
possible in the enforcement of all laws which have for their object the perpetuity of
the chief industry of Alaska, viz, the salmon ti.sheries.

While as a matter of fact the Alaska Improvement Company has no objection to
urge in opposition to the weekly close season of thirty hours, it is manifest to any-
one who knows the conditions at places in Alaska other than Karluk that such a
provision to a greater or less extent may be a hardship and an injustice to many
other companies whose jilauts are not as favorably situated as is that of the company
which I represent.

The operators at Karluk have the advantage of their competitors in having a much
longer period in which to operate in the line of their business. Some of their cnm-
])etitors are restricted, naturally, by reason of the fact that the "run" of the salmon
embraces a j)eriod of from thirty-six to forty-five days only, a period less than half
of that enjoyed by the Alaska Improvement Company.

416

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 417

I desire again to impress upon you the fact that it is not within the proscribed 100
yards that the salmon need protection, but in those portions of the streams and rivers
above their mouths and hereinbefore mentioned as the playgrounds of the fish,
where their movements are such as to tempt the cupidity of those who, if left to
their selfish devices, would soon annihilate the species.

In view of the foregoing I respectfully suggest, recommend, and urge that the 100-
yard limit, as proposed to be enacted into law, be eliminated from said section 1 of
the proposed act.

Kespectfully submitted.

H. J. Barling,
Manager of the Alaska Improvement Company.

Joseph Murray,

Special Agent for Protection of Salmon Fisheries in Alaska,

Washington, D. C.

Brooklyn, N. Y., February 18, 1895.

Dear Colonel: Supplementary to my letter of the 14th instant, I beg to state
that the bill meets with the approval of our president, Eva. He requests, however,
injustice to all the various canning interests concerned, that the words in section 2,
"or to fish for or catch, or kill in any manner or by any appliances, any salmon or
salmon trout in any stream less than 100 yards in width in the said Territory of
Alaska between the hours of 6 o'clock in the morning and 6 o'clock in the evening
of the same day of each and every day of the week," be eliminated. He lays stress
on the fact that those words would be detrimental to the interests of quite a few,
and he claims that section 3 amended so as to read, "set aside certain parts of
streams," etc., would be sufficient, and at the same time it would not limit the discre-
tionary powers conferred upon the honorable Secretary of the Treasury, who could
then designate any cei'tain stream or streams which were in danger of exhaustion or
impairment of their run of salmon.

Another reason he had in mind was the difficulty which would beset the Govern-
ment in enforcing the law, inasmuch as some catch most of their fish at night and
others during the day.

By leaving it to the discretion of the Secretary he could, as he saw fit, absolutely
prohibit fishing in any stream or only partially so, such as is suggested by the specific
language which Mr. Eva desires stricken out in section 2.

Yours, respectfully, H. J. Barling.

Col. Joseph Murray,

United States Fish Commissioner for the District of Alaska.

San Francisco, February 7, 1895.
Dear Sir: Your valued favor of Ist instant just received, also the bills, for pro-
tection of salmon in Alaska, referred to, in regard to which will say that I can
discover nothing in them but that which will be a benefit to all. You are to be con-
gratulated for having framed such a bill, and if you are successful in having it
become a law will deserve much credit. These bills will afford the necessary
protection and mean the maintenance of a permanent industry in the Territory.
With my best wishes for your success, I remain,

Yours, truly, R, D. Hume.

Hon. Joseph Murray,

Washington, D. C.

It is not necessary, I think, to criticise all the objections raised by
my friends to the bills proposed; for if once given a fair trial the
faulty parts will easily be detected and quickly altered without injury
to anyone.

The main point to be considered is that the Alaska fisheries are of
great extent, immense value, and deserving of the greatest carej that

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 27

418 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

the history of salmon in America is a history of wanton destruction and
waste, and that unless we begin now to enact laws and rigidly enforce
them for the protection of the species it is only a matter of time until
the same destructive methods pursued from Maine to Oregon will pro-
duce the same results in Alaska.

An industry that has produced in five years 3,850,4:66 cases of canned
salmon — 184,822,368 i)ounds of the very finest and richest of human
food — is undoubtedly one that is deserving of the very highest consid-
eration from us all, and ought to have the best possible protection from
the General Govern ment.

Particular attention is invited to the report for 1892 of the honorable
Commissioner of Fisheries, from which I have largely quoted ; for there
he shows, beyond the possibility of contradiction, what destructive
methods have been followed in other localities, and which, if continued
in Alaska, will bring about the same direful and irreparable results.

Knowing the possibilities that await Alaska in the near future if her
natural resources are not allowed to be frittered away, and also know-
ing how easy it is to make a bad or a good beginning, I respectfully
recommend that all possible safeguards be thrown around those natural
resources, consistent with the best interests of all who have investments
made and business established in the Territory.

A revenue cutter, reenforced by half a dozen steam launches, ought
to be sent to and kept in Alaska for the purpose of enforcing the reve-
nue laws — patrolling the inland waters, and carrying the ofticers of the
Government from place to place in the prosecution of their duties. The
appointment of an inspector of Alaskan fisheries and two assistants, to
visit and reside at the canneries during the fishing season, would be
productive of great good to all those who are in favor of law and order
and good government.

All of which is very respectfully submitted.

Joseph Murray,
Special Agent for the Protection of Salmon Fisheries in Alaska.

Hon. John G. Carlisle,

Secretary of the Treasury.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

419

Exhibit A.

Alaska salmon pack, 18S9 to 1893.

Firms.

Alaska Packers' Association
Canneries.

Aleutian Island and Mining Co. .

Humo Packing Co

Kailiik I'acking Co

Kodiak Packing Co

Arctic Packing Co

Eoyal Packing Co

Russian-American Packing Co. .

Arctic Packing Co

Kodiak Packing Co

Alaska Packing Co

Bristol Bay Canning Co

Nusbagak Canning Co

Arctic Packing Co

Chignik Bay Packing Co

G. W . Hume

Northern Packing Co

Arctic Packing Co

Central Alaska Co

Thiu Point Packing Co

Pacific Packing Co

Aberdeen Packing Co

Alaska Salmon Packing and Fur
Co.

Chilkat Packing Co

Pyramid Trading and Fishing Co.

Location of
canneries.

Number of cases.

1889.

Total .

Canneries not belonging to the
Alaska Packers' Association.

Alaska Improvement Co

Astoria Packing Co

Baranoti Packing Co

Bering Sea Packing Co

Boston Fishing and Trading Co . .

Chilkat Cannery Co

Metlakahtla Industrial Co

North Pacific Trading and Pack-
ing Co.

Pacific Steam "Wlialing Co

Peninsula Tradingand Fishing Co.
R. U. Hume & Co

Total

Grand total .

Karluk 53,500

do I 28,000

do 63,145

do ! 27,600

Eyak I 37, 000

Albgnak , 16,000

do 25,000

Alitak I 13,000

do

Nushagak River I 20,000

Bristol Bay 32, 000

do 27,000

do

Chignik Bay 22, 000

Cooks Inlet

do ! 18,500

--..do i 31,000

Thin Point I 1,748

.... do 27, 000

Copper River 5,000

Wrangell 13,800

Loring 25,500

Chilkat River

Pyramid Harbor.

Kadiak

Ruin Island

Baranoft" Islands

Ugashik

Yes Bay

Chilkat River

Metlakahtla

Klawak

Copper River .

do

Karluk

1890.

39, 308
36, 000
39, 114
47, 000
44, 000
11, 000
26, 434
17, 400
16, 250

25, 000
31, 000

26, 000

44, 000
13, 000
16, 000

12, 000
16, 000

7,017

2,400

13, 000

15, 800

22, 780

17, 327
17, 000

514,793 1 576,830

26, 000
"3,'706'

27, 000

9,600

10, 475

7,000 I 9,327
19,000 ! 20,000

11, 370 , 10, 108

15,000
2,531

16, 000
12, 119

84,601 I 114,629

599, 394

691, 459

1891.

39, 300
36, 000
66, 483

32, 800

33, 100

25, 300
20, 100
22, 000
31,071

29, 400

30, 000
30, 900
75, 000
21,000
17, 000
20, 000

7,000

4,000

27, 000

16, 000

22, 800

13,375
13, 500

629, 220

52, 000

16, 200
7,949
5,000

17, 335
20, 940

6,000
9,281

24, 000
20, 074

178, 779
807, 999

1892.

76, 000
67, 500

21, 000

31,500
32, 100

50, 000
21, 200

21, 000

28, 700

1893.

59, 959
59, 220
30, i:!8

25, 777

37, 188
34, 750

35, 848
57, 553

31, 665

28, 999
22, 728
25, 153

349, 000

13, 668
462, 646

52, 000

10, 200

38, 795

13, 741
22, 500
11,300

15, 102
19, 418
12, 500

35, 000
15, 270
15, 492

109, 741

161, 186

458, 741

623, 832

420

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Exhibit B.

Statistics of Alaslca salmon pack, season 1893.
ALASKA PACKERS' ASSOCIATION

Location.

Men employed.

Appara-
tus used.

Salmon taken.

Name.

White.

Na.
tive.

Chi-
nese.

King.

Red.

Silver.

Bristol Bay Canning

Co.
Alaska Packing Co. . .

Nushagak

do

60

62
58
12
18
90
80
50
33
42
60

65

70

19
15

20

41

40
45

87

90

85

Gill nets.

....do....

....do....

..do. .

15, 000

16, 000
13, 000

260, 000

290, 000
290, 000
100, 000
60, 000
800, 000
800, 000
400, 000
300, 000
170, 000
600, 000

220, 000

140, 000

85, 000
42, 000

200, 000

22, 000

24 000

Arctic Packing Co

do

28 000

I)o

N aknek

Thin PointPacking Co
Karluk Packing Co.. .
Hume Packing Co

Thin Point

Karluk

15
30
28
25
15
30
20

23

50

45
32

'"i53'

150

75

60

68

140

58

64

55
50

Seine

do ..

do

do . . .

Kodiak Packing Co

do

. .. .do - ...

Arctic Packing Co

Arctic Fishing Co

Chignik Bay Packing

Co.
Pacific Packing Co...

Pyramid Harbor Pack-
ing Co.
Glacier Packing Co.. .
Alaska Salmon Pack-

Alitak

do ..

KussiloflF

Gill nets.
Gill nets
and seine.
do ...

30, 000

34 000

Chignik

64 000

Prince Williams

Sound.
Pyramid Harbor..

Fort Wrangell

Loring

72, 000

Gill nets.

....do....
Seine

6,000

96, 000
160, 000

ing and Fur Co.
Ugashik Fishing Sta-
lion.

Selina River

do ..

Total

754

439 1 1-^5

80, 000

4, 757, 000

500, 000

Cases.

Barrels.

Steam-
ers.

Light-
ers and
boats.

Value.

Nets.

Sail ton-
nage em-
ployed.

Value

Name.

Num-
ber.

Value.

of
plant.

Bristol Bay Canning
Co.

Alaska Packing Co

Arctic Packing Co

Do

34, 750

37, 188
35, 848

"856'
2,000
1,232
63

73'

200
32

s'

68'

1,970

1

1
1

1
1
2
2
1
1
2
2

3
1

1

40

42
41
8
10
35
35
25
20
40
24

40
25

14

8

6

$12, 000

12, 000
10, 000
13,000

6,000
25, 000

15, 000
10, 000
10, 000

16, 000
19, 000

25, 000
16, 000

13, 000
2, 000

1,200

80

84

82

16

4

12

12

6

4

80
90

70
50

30

4

3

$4,000

4,200

4,100

800

800

2,400

2,400

1,200

800

4,000

4,500

3,500
2,500

1,500
800

600

831

1,072
611
555

$91, 000

91, 000

91, 000

2 .500

Thin Point Packing Co

Karhik Packing Co

Hume Packing Co

Kodiak Packing Co. . .

Arctic Packing Co

Arctic Fishing Co

Chignik Bay Packing
Co.

Pacific Packing Co

Pyranxid Harbor Pack-
ing Co.

Glacier Packing Co

Alaska Salmon Pack-
ing and Fur Co.
Ugashik Fishing Sta-
tion.

175 20. 000

59, 220
59, 959
30, 138
25, 777
31,665
57, 553

28, 999
13, 668

22, 728
25, 153

2,694
2,650
1,100
771
1,376
1,625

939
1,187

636
658

233

136, 500

120,250

123, 500

52, 000

32, 500

71,500

39, 000
39, 000

27, 300
52, 000

1.500

i

Total

462, 646

6,496

20

413

205, 200

627

38, 100

17,113 ; 990,550

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

421

Statistics of Alaska salmon pack, season 189S — Continued.
CORPORATIONS NOT IN THE ALASKA PACKERS' ASSOCIATION.

Name.

C.E.Whitney & Co

L. A. Pederson

Chas. Nelson

Lynde & Hongh

Alaska Improvement Co

R. D.Hume & Co

Oliver Smith

C.D.Ladd

Pacific Steam Whaling Co

Peninsular Fishing and Trading Co

Chilkat Canning Co

Foard & Stokes

Baranoff Packing Co

North Pacific Fishing and Trading Co.

Cape Fox Packing Co

Boston Fishing and Trading Co

Metlakahtla Industrial Co

J. Macauley

Various

Total.

Location.

Nushagak

Naknek

Seliua River

Shumagin Islands

Karluk

do

Kadiak Island

Cooks Inlet

Prince William Sound.

Cojtper River

Pyramid Harbor

Port Althorp

Baranoff Island

Klawak

Cape Fox

Yes Bay

Metlakahtla

Whale Bay

Southeastern Alaska . .

Cases.

38, 795
15, 429

35, 000
15, 270
19,418

9,609
12, 595

15, 102
12, 500

173,718

Barrels.

1,400

2, 600

2,700

205

6

2,500

466

239

600

1,006

157

2,000

500
1,400

15, 779

Exhibit C.

statistics of Alaska salmon pack, season of 1894.
ALASKA PACKERS' ASSOCIATION.

Location.

Men employed.

Apparatus
used.

Salmon taken.

Name.

White.

Na-
tive.

Chi-
nese.

King.

Red.

Silver.

Bristol Bay Canning

Co.
Alaska Packing Co.

Nushagak

do

60

62
58
15
18

100
92
35
56
60

65

74

31
25

25

34

41

40
45

87

90

85

Gill nets -

....do....
....do....
do

3,000

4, 500
3,000

283, 000

270, 000
307, 000
128, 550
125,950

1, 066, 000

1, 066, 000

300, 000

283, 000

600, 000

270, 000

340, 000

80, 000
37, 000

134, 000

112, 850

18, 000

15, 000
14, 000

Arctic Packinir Co...

., do

Do r.

Naknek

Thin Point Packing

Thin Point

Karluk

i?

50
48
17
40
26

33

61

51
36

132

132

52

75

124

60

70

55
65

Seine

Co.
Karluk Packing Co. . .
Hume Packing Co....

do

do

.. do

Arctic Packing Co...

Arctic Fishing Co

Chignik Bay Packing

Alitak

...do

Kusiloff

Gill not..

Gill net,

and seine.

....do ....

Gill net..

....do ....
Seine ....

15, 500

2,000
7,000
6,000

19, 000

Chignik

Co.
Pacific Packing Co...

Pyramid Harbor Pack-
ing Co.
Glacier Packing Co . . .
Alaska Salmon Pack-

Prince William

Sound.
PjTramid Harbor..

Fort Wrangell

Loring

17, 000

11, 000

126, 000
205, 000

ing and Fur Co.
Point Roberts Pack-

Koggiung

Selina River

Gill net..

ing Co.
Ugashik Fishing Sta-
tion.

Gill nets
and seine.

Total

810

505

1,027

41 000 '.^ -ifi-^ s.^n

425 000

422

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Statistics of Alaska salmon pack, season of 1S94 — Continued.
ALASKA PACKERS' ASSOCIATION.

Name.

Bristol Bay Canning Co
Alaska I'acking Co ...

Arctic Tacking Co

Do

Thin Point Packing Co

Karluk Packing Co

Hnnie Packing Co

Arctic Packing Co

Arctic Fishing Co

Chignik Bay Packing
Co.

Pacific Packing Co

Pyramid Harbor Pack-
ing Co.

Glacier Packing Co

Alaska Salmon Pack-
ing and Fur Co.
Point Koberts Pack-
ing Co.
Ugashik Fishing Sta-
tion.

Cases.

Total.

30, 999
30, 038
30, 413

79, 000
79, 000

27, 720
34, 033
55, 352

28, 378
38, 781

25, 250

26, 869

Barrels.

485, 833

420
2,571
2,519

354

20

2,680
2,257

10,825

Steam-
ers.

Light-
ers and
boats.

20

40
42
41
8
10
47
48
20
40
24

40
25

14

8

6

6

419

Value.

$12, 000

12, 000
10, 000

13, 000
6,000

30, 000
20, 000
10, 000
16, 000
19,000

25, 000
16, 000

13, 000

2,000

1,200
1,200

206, 400

Nets.

Num-
ber.

Value.

80

$4, 000

84

4,200

82

■J, 100

16

800

4

800

15

3,000

15

3,000

4

800

80

4,000

90

4,500

70

3,500

50

2,500

30

1,500

4

800

3

600

3

6oo

630

38, 700

Sail ton-
nage em-
ployed.

940

632

1,072

554

263

1,831

1,830

1,161

1,129

1,536

1.276
1,182

636

771

234
310

15, 357

Value

of
plant.

$91, 000

91,000

91,000

2,500

20, 000

136, 500

120. 250

52, 000

32, 500

71, 500

39, 000
39, 000

27, 300
52, 000

1,500

1,500

868, 550

CORPORATIONS NOT IN ALASKA PACKERS' ASSOCIATION.

Name.

C. E. Whitney & Co

Prosper Fisliing and Trading Co

L. A. Pederson

Bering Sea Packing Co

Chas. Nelson

Norton, Teller & Co

Lynde & Hough

Oliver Smith

Ala.ska Improvement Co

R.D.Hume & Co

C. D. Ladd

Pacific Steam Whaling Co

Peninsular Fisliing and Trading Co. . .

Baranoff Packing Co

North Pacific Fi.shing and Trading Co

Boston Fishing and Trading Co

Metlakahtla Industrial Co

Miller &■ Co

Cape Fox Packing Co

Various

Tolstoi Salting Station

Total

Location.

Nushagak

Kvichak

Naknek

Ugashik

- ..do

do

Shumagin Islands

Kadiak Island

Karluk

Tanglefoot Bay

Cooks Inlet..."

Prince William Sound .

Copper River

Baranoff Island

Klawak

Tea Bay

Metlakahtla

Cardovia Bay

Capo Fox ,

Southeastern Alaska ..

Cases.

17, 394

44,300
26, 984

29, 000
15, OOU
10, 910

13, 620
12, 000

14, 000

183, 208

Barrel.^.

650
2,000
2,640

2,600
596

30
2,000

45

2,064

61

1,800

2,000

4,000

700

21,186

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

423

Exhibit D.

Sahnon 2>ackin(j stations in Alaska.

No.

Locality.

Name of company.

Can-
nery.

Salt- Her-
ery. ring.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17
18

19

20
21
22
23
24

25
26
27

Cbilcat

Port Althorp

Killisnoo

Ked Fish Bay

Fort \\' rangell

Yes Bay

Loriiig

Poi't Chester

Klawak

Cordovia Bay

TolatoiBay."

Port Ellis

Capo Fox

Copper River, Delta Peninsula. . .
Eyak Village

Alaska Packers' Association

Ford &, Stokes

Herring Fishery

Baranotf Packing Co

Ahiska Packers' Association

Boston Fishing and Trading Co.

Alaska Packers' Association

Metlakahtla Industrial Co

North Pacific and Packing Co

Miller & Co

do

Kniu Island

Cooks Inlet, Kussilo River ,
"West side of Cooks Inlet . . .

Afognak '

Karluk River

Alaska Improvement Co

R. D. Hume & Co

AlitakBay

Ugak Bay, Eagle Harhor..

Chiguik Bay

Pirate Cove, Popoff

Thin Point

Ugashik

Fisli and Trading Co

Pacific Steam "Whaling Co . ..
Alaska Packers' Association.

do

C.D.Ladd&Co

Alaska Packers' Association.

Naknek River.
Kvichak River

Nushagak

Fort AJexander.

Alaska Packers' Association (used up) .

Oliver Smith

Alaska Packers' Association

McCollum Trading Co

Alaska Packers' Association

Bering Sea Packing Co

Alaska Packers' Association

Sullivan River Packing Co

Johnson

Alaska Packers' Association

Peterson

Alaska Packers' Association

Prosper Fish and Trading Co

Alaska Packers' Association

"Whiteney Company

Total ,

27

14

' Not in operation.

Exhibit E.

Sailing distances from Ca;pe Fox to the different salmon canneries i)i Alaslca.
[Figures in parentheses are map numbers.]

Localities.

(13) Cape Fox to (10) Cordovia Bay

(13) Cape Fox to (8) Port Chester

(10) Cordovia Bav to (9) Klawak

(8) Port Chester to (11) Tolstoi Bay

(8) Port Chester to (7) Loring

(7) Loring to (6) Yes Bay

(11) Tolstoi Bay to (5) Fort Wrangell

(5) Fort AVrangell to (12) Port Ellis

(9) Klawak to (4) Red Fish Bay

(4) Red Fi.sh Bay to (2) Port A'lthorp

(2) Port Althorp to (3) Killisnoo

(3) Killisnoo to (1) Chilcat Inlet

(1) Chilcat Inlet to (14) Copper River Delta.

(14) Copper River Delta to (15) Eyak Vil-
lage

Miles.

80

50

100

60

60

25

100

100

150

150

200

200

1,000

50

Localities.

(15) Eyak Village to (17) Afognak

(17) Afognak to (20) Ugak Bay, Eagle
Harbor

(20) Ifgak Bay to (19) Alitak Bay

(19) Alitak Bay to (18) Karluk River . . .

(18) Karluk River to (21) Chignik Bay..

(21) Chignik Bav to (22) Pirate Cove"...

(22) Pirate Cove' to (23) Thin Point

(23) Thin Point to (24) Uga.shik

(25) Naknek River to (26) Kvichak River

(26) Kvichak River to (27) Nushagak. . .

Total

Miles.

500

75
100
100
300
200
150
500

25
100

4,375

Exhibit F.

Amount of tin consumed in the salmon canneries of Alaslca, cost, and import duty paid,

for the year ending December 31, 1894.

Boxes 74,000

Cost $230,000

Duty paid 1173,000

424 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

APPENDIX.

No. 1. — Extracts from report on the salmon fisheries of Alaska, hy Marshall McDonald.

July 2, 1892.
origin and development op the alaskan salmon fisheries.

The marvelous abundance of several species of salmon in Alaskan waters has been
long known, l)ut in conseciuence of the remoteness of this region and its inaccessi-
bility, the abundant supply in rivers nearer markets, and a disposition on the ])art
of buyers to underrate Alaskan products, its lishery resources have not been laid
under contribution for market supply within a few years, during which we have seen,
as the result of reckless and improvident lishing, the practical destruction of the sal-
mon fisheries of the Sacramento and the reduction of the take on the Columbia to less
than one-half of what it was in the early history of the salmon-canning industry on
that river. At present the streams of Alaska furnish the larger proportion of the
canned salmon which find their way to the markets.

The pioneer in the early development of the salmon-canning industry in Alaskan
waters was the Alaska Commercial Company, which in 1887 established a cannery
on Karluk Eiver, on the west side of Kadiak Island, and packed about 13,000 cases
of salmon. The enterprise proved exceedingly profitable, and operations were
rapidly extended so that the pack of this company on the Karluk River in 1888
aggregated 101,000 cases of 48 pounds each, representing a (^atch of over 1,200,000
blue backs or red salmon in the estnary of a small stream with a volume and drain-
age area not exceeding that of Rock Creek (the small stream flowing through the
Zoological Park and discharging into the Potomac River within the city limits of
Washington, D. C). The enormous prodiiction of this year was secured by entirely
obstructing the river by running a fence across so that no fish could pass up, and by
continuing canning operations without intermission until late in October, when most
of the fish were dark and unfit for food.

The immense pack made by the Alaska Commercial Company in 1887 and 1888, the
fame of which quickly extended to kSan Francisco, had two important results. The
attention of Congress was directed to the inevitable disaster that would ovej'take the
salmon fisheries of Alaska unless prompt measures were taken to restrain the improv-
ident and destructive methods employed for the capture of the salmon. Accordingly,
upon the recommendation of the Commissioner of Fisheries, an act for the protection
of the salmon fisheries was introduced into Congress and became a law on March 2,
1889, as follows :

AN ACT to provide for the protection of the salmon fi8herie.s of Alaska.

" Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Bepresentatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That the erection of dams, barricades, or other obstructions in
any of the rivers of Alaska, with the purpose or result of preventing or imi)eding
the ascent of salmon or other anadromous species to their spawning grounds, is
hereby declared to be unlawful, and the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby autho-
ized and directed to establish such regulations and surveillance as may be neiessary
to insure that this prohibition is strictly enforced and to otherwise protect the sal-
mon fisheries of Alaska; and every person who shall be found guilty of a violation
of the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than two hundred and fifty
dollars for each day of the continuance of such obstruction.

"Sec. 2. That the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries is herebj' empowered and
directed to institute an investigation into the habits, abundance, and distribution
of the salmon of Alaska, as well as the present conditions and methods of tlie fish-
eries, with a view of recommending to Congress such additional legislation as may
be necessary to prevent the impairment or exhaustion of these valuable fisheries,
and placing them under regular and permanent conditions of production.

"Sec. 3. That section nincsteen hundred and fiity-six of the Revised Statutes of
the Ignited States is hereby declared to include and apply to all the dominion of the
United States in the waters of Bering Sea; and it shall be the duty of the President,
at a timely season in each year, to issue his proclamation and cause the same to be
published for one month in at least one newspaper, if any such there be, pu1)lished
at each United States port of entry on the Pacific Coast, warning all persons against
entering said waters for the purpose of violating the provisions of said section ; and
he shall also cause one or more vessels of the United States to diligentlj' cruise said
waters and arrest all persons, and seize all vessels found to be, or to have been,
engaged in any violation of the laws of the United States therein."

This act, though authorizing .and directing the Secretary of the Treasury to estab-
lish such regulations and surveillance as should be necessary to insure that the pro-

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

425

hibition would be enforced, neither prescribed the machinery nor appropriated the
means to carry it into effect. Some restraint has doubtless been imposed upon
attempts at violation of the law where they are likely to come under observation,
but it is probably violated without hesitation or scruple where the chance of dis-
covery is casual or remote.

STATISTICS OF THE FISHERIES.

The immense take of salmon in the estuary of the Karluk River in 1887 and 1888
had the additional result of attracting attention to a field promising such extrava-
gant returns for the capital invested. More than 30 new canneries were established
dining the season of 1889. Five were located on the sand spit at tlie mouth of the
Karluk River and 3 others so near as to draw their supplies from that source. Ov^er
350,000 cases of red .salmon, representing 4,000,000 fish, were taken from this insig-
nificant rivulet in 1889 and sent into the markets of the world. During this season
there were 36 canneries in operation in Alaska, and the value of the salmon pack
amounted to $3,375,000.

The following table, showing the Alaskan salmon pack from 1883, when systematic
canning operations were first instituted, to 1890, after they had probably reached
their largest development, is very interesting as well as suggestive; interesting, as
illustrating the wonderful wealth of the waters ; suggestive because we know that
it has been accomplished by irrational and destructive methods, and l)y im])rovident,
willful, and contemptuous disregard of natural laws, whose aid and unobstructed
operation are essential to the maintenance of a continuing and productive salmon
fishery in Alaska:

The Alaska salmon pack from 1883 to 1890.

Tear.

Number of
cases.

Tear.

Number of
cases.

1883

36, 000
45, 000 '
74, 850
120, 700

1887

190, 200
298, 000

1884

1888

1885

1889

675, 000

1886

1890

610, 747

A review of the statistics of the salmon pack of Alaska from 1883 to 1890, compiled
from data gathered by the division of fisheries of the United States Fish Commis-
sion, shows that the total yield of the salmon fisheries of this region from 1883 to
1890, both inclusive, was 2,050,497 cases of 48 pounds each, repi-esenting an aggregate
production of 28,706,958 salmon within the period mentioned. During the first three
years the pack was small, viz, 36,000 cases iu 1883, 4.'i,000 cases in 1884, and 74,850 cases
in 1885. After this the increase in production was phenomenal, and in 1889 had
reached the enormous amount of 675,000. Production in the subsequent years receded
slightly, but the aggregate for 1890 and 1891 did not fall much short of the pack of
1889. Of the entire Alaskan yield, about one half is taken from the estuary of the
Karluk River. Adding the product of 1891 to the aggregate for Y)revious years, we
have a total yield of canned salmon since 1883, when regular canning began, amount-
ing to nearly 2,750,000 cases, and a total value of $11,000,000.

Besides the canned salmon, the rivers of Alaska yield annually nearly 7,000 barrels
of 200 pounds each of salt salmon. When we add to the above production the enor-
mous quantities of salmon which are consumed by the natives in the fresh and dried
condition, we shall be able to form soine adequate idea of the immense value of the
Alaskan salmon, and the importance of fostering and establishing conditions of per-
manence for this great resource.

In 1889 the salmon fishery gave employment to 66 vessels, including 13 steamers,
13 barks, 2 brigs, and 1 ship. Thirty-six canneries were in active operation, not
counting a number of small establishments whose pack was light and incidental to
general trading with the natives. The capital stock of these canning companies
ranged from $75,000 to $300,000. The estimated capital was $4,000,000 and the value
of the pack, $3,375,000.

PRESENT CONDITION OP THE FISHERIES — OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE RIVERS.

Early in April, 1890, information reached the Commissioner of Fisheries in regard
to a salmon trap, the construction of which had been determined upon by four can-
nery firms located on the Nushagak River. About 25 miles from the mouth of this
river is a tributary known as Wood River, into which most of the salmon entering
the Nushagak make their way for tlie purpose of spawning in the two large lakes at

426 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

its head. Believing tliat sucli action was a violation of the act of Congress approved
March 2, 1889, providing for the protection of the salmon fisheries of Alaska, the
Commissioner transmitted the information to tlie Secretary of the Treasury with the
suggestion that the necessary steps be taken by some of the Treasury officials in that
region. The matter was referred to the chief of the Eevenue-Mariue Division with
th« recommendation that, if possible, the captain of one of the revenue-marine
steamers cruising in Alaskan waters be directed to make an investigation and, if nec-
essary, have the obstructions removed ami the guilty parties arrested and prosecuted.
On April 12 the chief ef the Kevenue-Marine Division returned the correspondence
to the Commissioner of Fisheries with the information that the commanding officers
of the revenue marine steamers ci'uising in Alaskan waters during the ensuing season
wonld be instructed to enforce the law for the protection of the iisheries as far as cir-
cumstances would permit. He suggested, also, that the commanding ofticer of the
Fisli Commission steamer Albatross be instructed to investigate the complaint aud
enforce the law if found necessary. Inasmuch as the Commissioner of Fisheries did
not have authority to give directions for the enforcement of the law, he wrote to the
chief of the Revenue-Marine Division on April 17 that if the Secretary desired to
confer the necessary authority upon the commanding officer of the Albatross, Lieut.
Commander Z. L. Tanner, United States Navy, he would take pleasure in forwarding
same. On the following day, therefore, the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, Hon.
George S. Batchelier, forwarded to the Commissioner of Fisheries the following
order, clothing the commander of the Albatross with the necessary authority to act
in the matter, inclosing at the same time copies of Treasury circular of March 16,
1889, in relation to the matter :

Treasury Department, Office op the Secretary,

Washington, D. C, Ajn-il IS, 1S90.

Sir: You are hereby clothed with full power and authority to enforce the provi-
sions of law contained in act of Congress approved March 2, 1889, providing for the
protection of the suhnon fisheries of Alaska, which prohibits the erection of dams,
barricades, or other obstructions in any of the rivers of Alaska, with the purpose or
result of preventing or impeding the ascent of salmon or other anadromous species
to their spawning grounds.

Respectfully, yonrs, Geo. S. Batcheller,

Acting Secretary.
Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner,

Commanding United States Fish Commission Steamer Albatross,

San Francisco, Cal.
* jf -^f # -jf * *{

This correspondence was referred to the ichthyologist of the Commission, who
made the following report :

United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries,

Washington, D. C, July 24, 1S90.

Sir : After having considered the letters of Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, United
States Navy, dated .June 15 and 18, 1890, referring to the construction of a trap in
Wood River, Alaska, I respectfully ofter my opinion that such a contrivance for the
capture of salmon is of the nature of an obstruction which Avould impede and, in all
probability, jjrevent the ascent of salmon to their spawning grounds. It is therefore
clearly a violation of the act approved March 2, 1889, a portion of which is quoted
herewith :

[Public No. 158. — An act to provide for the protection of the sahnon flslieries of Alaska.]

"Beit enacted by the Senate and House of Bepreseniatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That the erection of dams, barricades, or other obstructions in
any of the rivers of Alaska, with the purpose or result of preventing or impeding
the ascent of salmim or other anadromous species to their spawning grounds, is
hereby declared to be unlawful, and tlie Secretary of the Treasury is hereby author-
ized and directed to establish such regulations and surveillance as may l)e necessary
to insure that this prohibition is strictly enf(U-ced and to otlierwise protect the salmon
fisheries of Alaska; and every ])erson who shall be found guilty of a violation of the
provisions of this section shall be fined not less than two hundred and fifty dollars
for each day of the continuance of such obstruction."

It has been demonstrated that traps in salmon rivers will speedily exterminate the
salmon. Newfoundland furnishes a satisfactory illustration of this fact. So well is
this matter understood that British Columbia forbids altogether the capture of
salm<m in narrow reaches of streams, and the rivers are guarded to see that the close
time and other regulations are observed; the length of nets and their size of mesh
are iixed by law ; eveu the ofi'al from canneries is not allowed to lie in the way of
ascending fish.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 427

The Alaskan salmon firms arc in the Te-rritory to get fish. They prefer to get tliem
without injury to the future of the business if possible, but got them they must or
be overcome by financial disaster. In their efforts to win success they have often
stretclied nets across the mouths of small streams and ])revented the salmon from
going up until a sufficient number had collected to make a good seine haul possible.
They have erected traps in rivers in such a way as to stop every salmon from ascend-
ing, and, in some cases, actually built impassable barricades to prevent the ascent of
fish entirely until the demands of the canneries were satisfied. Even when fisliing
regulations were adopted by mutual agreement among the firms interested individual
infractions of the rule were only too l're(|uent.

The trap men on Wood River are building upon the well-known habit of the
quinnat (or king salmon) of following alon^' the shores in shallow water to escape
from enemies. All the conditions, both natural and invented, will favor the entrance
of salmon into the great inclosuro at the end of the leader of netting. In all proba-
bility few salmon will swim in mid-channel and reach the upper waters and lake
sources of the river, and it will always be possible to cut oil' this remnant in the
manner suggested l)y Lieutenant-Commander Tanner, and actually practiced by fish-
ermen on occasions, that of stretching a seine across the o])en water. If the Govern-
ment should interi)retits acts so as to allow the use of traps, in spite of the unfortu-
nate outcome of such ajipliances in neighboring countries, it sbould then prescribe
regulations for the conduct of the fishery and appoint agents to see that the laws are
enforced. If these matters aie left solely to the discretion of the individuals having
a financial interest in this fishery there will soon be no salmon to protect.
Very respectfully,

T. H. Bean,
Ichthyologist, United States Fish Commission.

Col. Marshall McDonald,

United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries.

Absolute prohibition of the capture of salmon by the use of any kind of nets or
traps within 100 yards of the mouths of the rivers would assure that some proportion
of each run of salmon would succeed in entering the streams and reaching the
spawning grounds.

The prohibition of the use of more than one seine in the same berth would prevent
that actual and effective obstruction of the approaches to the rivers which is now
accomplished by the use of seines in pairs sweeping the same area and succeeding
each other so continuously as to capture every fish coming within the seine berth.

The above requirements, reasonably and uniformly enforced, would probably be
sutHcient to maintain regular conditions of production and render permanent this
great food source. Should they be supplemented by recourse to artificial propaga-
tion on an adequate scale, it will be possibleuot only to maintain the present supply,
but probably greatly to increase the annual production. The enforcement of tlie
regulations and requirements above indicated would, however, demand constant
minute supervision and the employment of a large ijersonnel and difficult adminis-
tration.

It is believed that better results and more satisfactory administration could be
accomplished by limiting the catch in each stream to its actual productive capacity
under existing conditions, and by leasing the privileges of taking the salmon to the
highest bidder. The lessees of any river would see that there was no trespassing
upon privileges lor which they paid. The limitation of the catch being kept safely
within the natural productive capacity of the stream, greater care would be exercised
by the canners, the quality of the products would be improved, and stability of prices
assured by reason of the fact that the total production would be approximately
known in advance of the season.

The number of cases packed would be a matter of easy and accurate ascertainment
by the Government agent charged with that dnty. Should the funds obtained from
the lessees be applied first to tlie administration of the regulations of the fishery, and
the balance devoted to systematic fish-culture, it is probable that tlie revenues from
these fisheries will not only suffice for their rational management, but will ]>ermit
and provide for such extensive fish-cultural o])eration8 as will not only maintain
present conditions and production, but also greatly increase the annual output.
Very respectfully,

Marshall McDonald, Commisaioner.

No. 2. — Oregon Statutes, vol. 2, of fishing for salmon.

Skc. 3489. It shall not be lawful to take or fish for salmon in the Columbia River
or its tributaries, by any means whatever, in any year hereafter during the months
of March, August, and September; nor at the weekly close times in the months of

428 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

April, June, and July ; that is to aay, between the hour of six o'clock in the afternoon
of each and every Saturday until six o'clock in the afternoon of Sunday following;
and any person or persons catching salmon in violation of the provisions of this
section, or purchasing salmon so unlawfully caught, shall, upon conviction thereof,
be fined in a sum of not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one th(msaud
dollars for the first offense, and for each and every subsequent offense, upon convic-
tion thereof, shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars, to which may be added,
at the discretion of the court, imprisonment In the county jail for a term not exceed-
ing one year.

Sec. 3490. It shall not be lawful to fish for salmon in the Columbia River or its
tributaries during the said months of April, May, June, and July with gill nets the
meshes of which are less than four and one-eighth inches square, nor with seines
whose meshes are less than three inches square, nor with weir or fish traps whose
slats are less than two and oue-half inches apart.

Nothing herein contained shall prevent fishing in said river or its tributaries with
dip nets during the fishing season as established and defined by section thirty-four
hundred and eighty-nine.

Every trap or weir shall have in that part thereof where the fish are usually taken
an opening at least one foot wide, extending upward from the bottom toward the
top of the weir or trap five ieet, and the netting, slats, and other material used to
close such aperture while fishing shall be taken out, carried upon shore, and there
remain during the said months of March, August, and September, and the weekly
close time in the months of April, May, June, and July, as prescribed in section
thirty-four hnndred and eighty-nine, to the intent that during said close time the
salmon may have free and unobstructed passage through such weir, trap, or other
structure, and no contrivance shall be placed in any part of such structure which
shall tend to hinder such fish.

In case the inclosure where the fish are taken is furnished with a board fioor an
opening extending from the floor fiAe feet toward the top of the weir or trap shall
be equivalent to extending the said opening from bottom to top.

Any person or persons violating the provisions of this section or encouraging its
violation by knowingly purchasing salmon so unlawfully caught shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined for the first offense
not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, to which may
be addetl imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding one year.

Sec. 3491. The person or persons making complaint of any violations of the pro-
visions of this act shall, upon conviction of the oft'ender, be entitled to oue-half the
tine recovered; and any prosecuting attorney who shall, upon com])laint being made
to him of the violation of this act, fail to prosecute the party accusedshall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor in office, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in the
sum of five Imndred dollars for each and every ofiense.

Sicc. 3492. This act shall not be so construed as to interfere in any way with any
establishment or enterprise for the propagation of salmon, whether by the United
States Government or any regularly organized company or society for that purpose,
located or operated upou said Columbia River or any of its tributaries.

Sec 3493. It shall be unlawful for the pro])rietor of anj' sawmill on the Columbia
River or any of its tributaries, or any employee therein, to cast the sawdust made
by such sawmill, or suft'er or jieimit such sawdust to be thrown or discharged in
any manner, into said river or its tributaries below the Cascades of the Columbia
River and falls of the Willamette River.

For each and every williul violation of this section the party guilty of such vio-
lation shall be liable to a fine of fifty dollars for each and every such ofiense, to be
recovered before a justice of the peace of the proper county.

Sec. 3494. Any party convicted of any violation of the provisions of this lawshall
be sentenced to pay the fine and costs adjudged, and in default of paying or securing
the payment thereof, he shall be committed to the county jail until such fine and
costs shall be paid or secured, until he shall have been imprisoned one day for every
two dollars of such fine and costs. But execution may at any time issue against the
property of the defendant for whatever sum may be due of such fine or costs.

Upon payment of such fine or costs, or the balance after deducting the commuta-
tion by imprisonment or securing the same, the party shall be discharged.

All fines and penalties collected for violation of this act shall constitute a fund for
the maintenance of hatching houses for the propagation of salmon, and be disbursed
in accordance with the })rovision8 of an act entitled "An act to encourage the estab-
ishment of hatching houses for the ])ropagation of salmon in the waters of the
Columbia River."

Sec. 3495. All fines and penalties hereby or herein imposed shall be enforced and
collected as other fines and penalties, and jurisdiction to enforce such fines not herein
given to the justices' courts shall be vested in the circuit court of the proper county.

Sec, 3496. It shall be unlawful to catch salmon fish with net, seine, or trap, iu any

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 429

stream of water, bay, or inlet of the sea, or river of this State, at any season of the
year between sunset on Saturday and sunset on the Sunday following of each and
every week.

Sec. 3497. Any person who shall violate this act, either by tishiug with the means
and apjiliances aforesaid or hiring others to do so, shall be guilty of misdemeanor,
and be lined in any sum not less than liftj' nor exceeding one hundred and fifty dol-
lars, and by imprisonment in the county jail of the proper county not less than five
days nor more than ten days.

Sec. 3498. Justices of the peace shall have concurrent jurisdiction in such cases.

No. 3. — Extracts from a treatise on the law of Scotland relating to rights of fishing, by

Stewart.

SALMON FISHING POACHING AND OTHER OFFENSES.

Fishing by means of a light, etc. — By the act 1868 (31 and 32 Vict., c. 123, 17) it is
enacted "that every person that shall use any light or fire of any kind, or any spear,
leister, gaff, or other like instrument, or otter, for catching salmon, or any instru-
ment for dragging for salmon, or have in his possession a light or any of the afore-
said instruments under such circumstances as to satisfy the court before whom he
is tried that he intended at the time to catch salmon by means thereof, shall be
liable to a penalty not exceeding £5, and shall forfeit any of the aforesaid instru-
ments and any salmon found in liis possession; but this section shall not apply to
any person using a gaff as auxiliary to angling with a rod and line."

Dynamite. — No person may kill fish in the United Kingdom by means of dynamite
or any explosive (40 and 41 Vict., c. 65.)

Catching salmon leaping at a fall. — By the act 1868 (31 and 32 Vict., c. 123, 15, sub-
sec. 5) it is enacted that " every person who 'sets or uses, or aids in setting or using,
a net or any other engine for the capture of salmon when leaping at or trying to
ascend any fall or other impediment, or when falling back after leapiug,' shall be
liable to a penalty not exceeding £5, and to a further penalty not exceeding £2 for
every salmon takeu, and shall forfeit the salmon so taken; he shall further be liable
in the expenses of the prosecution."

^Vith regard to this prohibition, it seems only necessary to remark that it extends
only to machinery of a fixed nature, and imports no prohil)ition of dragging pools
lying at the foot of falls.

Taking or destroying the young salmon or obsirueting their i^assage, or disturbing spaivn-
ing beds. — By the act 1868 (31 and 32 Vict., c. 123, 19) it is enacted that " every per-
son who shall willfully take or destroy any smolt or salmon fry, or shall buy, sell, or
expose for sale, or have in his possession the same, or shall place any device or engine
for the purpose of obstructing the passage of the same, or shall willfully injure the
same, or shall willfully injure or disturb any salmon spawn or disturb any spawning
bed, or any bank or shallow in which the spawn of salmon may be, or during the
annual close time shall obstruct or impede salmon in their passage to any such bed,
bank, or shallow, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £5 for every such offense,
and shall forfeit every engine used in committing such offense, together with any
smolt or salmon fry found in his possession."

The clause goes ou to declare that this provision shall not " apply to acts done for
the purpose of the artificial propagation of salmon or for other scientific purposes,
or in the course of cleaning and repairing any dam or mill lade, or in the course of
the exercise of rights of jiroperty in the bed of any stream." It provides also that
the district board may, with the consent of all the proprietors of salmon fisheries in
any river or estuary, adopt such means as they think fit for preventing the ingress
of salmon into narrow streams, in which the fish or the spawning beds are, from the
nature of the channel, liable to be destroyed, but always so that no water rights
used or enjoyed for the purpose of manufactures, of agriculture, or of drainage shall
be interfered with thereby.

" No fixed engine of any description shall be placed or used for catching salmon in
any inland or tidal waters; and any engine placed or nsea in contravention of this
section may be taken possession of or destroyed ; and any engine so placed or used
and any salmon taken by such engine shall be forfeited; and in .addition thereto,
the owner of any engine placed or used in contravention of this section shall, for
each day of so placing or using the same, incur a penalty not exceeding £10; and
for the purposes of this section, a net that is secured by anchors or otherwise tem-
porarily fixed to the soil shall bo deemed to be a fixed engine; but this section shall
not affect any ancient right or mode of fishing as lawfully exercised at the time of
the ])as8ing of this act by any person by virtue of any grant or charter or imme-
morial usage : Provided, always, That nothing in this eectiou contained shall be deemed
to apply to fishing weirs or fishing milldams."'

430 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

No. 4. — Extracts from Bund's law of salmon fisheries in England and Wales.

[Salmon-flsliery act, 1861.]

(1) Causing or knowingly permitting liquid or solid matter to be placed into any
waters containing salnioii, or into the tributaries of such waters, tlint poisons or kills
lisL. Penalties: First ott'ense, £5; second, not less than £2 lOs., not more than £10
and £2 a day; tliird, not less than £5, not more than £20 a day, from the date of
third conviction ; fourth, not less than £20 a day.

(2) Using or having in possession lights, otters laths, jacks, wires, snares, stroke
halls, snatches, or other like instruments (except gaffs as auxiliary to a rod and line)
for taking salmon, trout, or char. Penalty : Forfeiture of instruments ; first offense,
£5; second, not less than £2 10s., not more than £5; third, not less than £5, or
imprisonment for not less than one or more than six months.

(3) Using any lish roe for fishing, or buying, selling, or having in possession any
salmon, trout, or char roe. I'enalty : Forfeiture of roe; first offense, £2; second, not
less thau £2; third, imprisonment for not less than one or more than six months.

(4) Using any nets with a less mesh than two inches, unless a smaller size is
allowed by bye-law. I'enalty: Forfeiture of nets ; first offense, £5; second, not less
than £2 lbs., or more than £5; third, not less than £5.

(5) Placing or using any fixed engine not lawfully in use in 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860,
and 1861, for catching, or facilitating the catching, or deterring or obstructing the
free passage of salmon. Penalty: Forfeiture of engine; first offense, £10 a day;
second, not less than £2 10s. in whole, not exceeding £10 a day ; third, not less than
£5 in whole, not exceeding £10 a day; fourth, not less thau £10 a day.

(6) Using any dam, except legal fishing weirs and fishing milldams, for catching,
or facilitating the catching, of salmon. Penalty: Forfeiture of all traps, nets, and
contrivances, and all salmon caught; first offense, not exceeding £5 and £1 for each
salmon caught; second, not less in the whole than £2 lOs., and not exceeding £5
and £1 for each salmon; third, not less than £5, and not exceeding £5 and £1 for
each salmon caught; fourth, not less than £5 and £1 for each salmon caught.

(7) Fishing for any salmon within 50 yards above or 100 yards below any dam, or
in the head, tail, or race of any mill, unless the dam has a fish pass, approved by the
home office, with such a flow of water as will enal)le salmon to pass up and down.
Penalty : Forieiture of all salmon caught and nets used ; first offense, £2 and £1 for
each salmon caught; second, not less in whole than £2 10s., and not exceeding £2
and £1 for each salmon caught; third, not less than £5, and not exceeding £5 and
£1 for each salmon caught ; fourth, not less than £5 and £1 for each salmon caught.

(8) Refusing to place a grating, approved by the inspectors, across any artificial
channel for supplying towns with water, or any inland navigation. Penalty : Not
exceeding £5 a day for the first offense; second, not less than £2 10s., not exceeding
£5 a day ; third, not less than £5, and not exceeding £5 a day ; fourth, not less than
£5 a day.

(9) Refusing to maintain such grating. Penalty : Not exceeding £1 a day for the
first offense; second, not less than £2 10s., and not exceeding £1 a day; third, not
less than £5, and not exceeding £1 a day; fourth, not less than £1 a day.

(10) Taking, killing, injuring, or attempting to take, buying, selling, exposing for
sale, or having in possession for sale, unclean or unseasonable salmon, trout, or char.
Penalty: Forfeiture of fish; first offense, £5 and £1 for each fish; second, not less
than £2 10s., not exceecfTng £5 and £1 a fish; third, not less than £5 and not
exceeding £5 and £1 a fish, or imprisonment for not less than one or more than six
months; fourth, not less than £5 and £1 a fish, or imprisonment.

(11) Taking or destroying, buying, selling, or exposing for sale, placing any device
for obstructing the passage of or willfully injuring the young of salmon, or disturbing
any spawning bed on which the spawn of the salmon may be. Penalty : Forfeiture
of all young salmon, rods, lines, nets, etc.; first offense, not exceeding £5; second,
not less than £2 nor more than £5; third, not less than £5.

(12) Disturbing or attempting to catch any salmon spawning or near the spawning
beds. Penalty : First offense, not exceeding £5; second, not less than £2 10s. or
more than £5; not less than £5.

(13) Fishing for salmon during the annual close season. Penalty : Forfeiture of
salmon and nets, or instruments used in fishing; first offense, not exceeding £5 and
£2 for each fish caught; third, not less than £5 and not exceeding £5 and £2 for
each fish caught, or imprisonment for not less thau one nor more than six months;
fourth, not less than £5 for each fish caught, or imi)risonment.

(14) Not removing fixed engiiu'S and temporary fixtures from a fishery within
thirty-six hours after close time begins. Penalty : Forfeiture of all engines and tem-
porary fixtures, etc., first offense, not exceeding £10 a day; second, not less than
£2 10s. and not exceeding £10 a day ; third, not less than £5 and not exceeding £10
a day; fourth, not less than £10 a day.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 431

(15) Fishing for salmon during weekly close time. Penalty : Forfeiture of all nets
or movable instruments used; tirst oftense, not exceeding £5 and £1 foi- eath tish;
second, not less than £2 lOs. and not exceeding £5 and £1 for each fish; thinl, not
less than £5 and not exceeding £5 and £1 for each fish; fourth, not less than £5
and £1 for each fish.

(16) Not maintaining an opening through cribs and traps during the weekly close
time. Penalty: Forfeiture of fish; first offense, £5 and £1 a fish; second, not less
than £2 10s. and not exceeding £5 and £1 a fish; third, not less than £5 and not
exceeding £5 and £1 a fish; fourth, not less than £5 and £1 a fish.

(17) Obstructing any person authorized by the home office* to make a fish pass.
Penalty: First offense, £10; second, not less than £2 10s. and not exceeding £10;
third, not less than £5 and not exceeding £10; fourth, not less than £10.

(18) Injuring any fish pass made under the authority of the home office. Penalty:
The expense of making good the injury; first offense, not exceeding £5; second, not
less than £2 and not exceeding £5; third, not less than £5.

(19) Doing any act whereby salmon are prevented passing through a fish jiass, or
taking salmon passing through a fish pass. Penalty: Forfeiture of salmon and
instruments used in taking th(>m; first offense, £5; second, not less than £2 and
not exceeding £10; third, not less than £5 and not exceeding £10; fourth, not less
than £10.

(20) Not affixing a fish pass to any new dam or to any old dam raised or altered so
as to create increased ol.tstruction to fish. Penalty : Expenses of making the fish
pass, and not exceeding £5 for first offense; not less than £2 nor more than £5 for
second; and not less than £5 for the third.

(21) Not keeping the sluices that draw off the water from a dam shut on Sundays
and when the water is not wanted for milling purposes. Penalty : Fist offense, not
exceeding 5s. an hour; second, not less than £2 10s. and not exceeding 5s. an hour;
third, not less than £5 and not exceeding 5s. an hour; fourth, not less than 5s. an
hour.

(22) Not making a legal gap in a fishing weir. Penalty: First offense, not exceed-
ing £5 a day; second, not less than £2 10s. and not exceeding £5 a day; third, not
less than £5 and not exceeding £5 a day ; fourth, not less than £5 a day.

(23) Not maintaining a legal free gap or altering the bed of the river so as to
reduce the flow of water through a legal free gap. Penalty: First offense, £1 a day;
second, not less than £2 10s. nor more than £1 a day; third, not less than £5 nor
more than £1 a day; fourth, not less than £1 a day.

(24) Placing any obstruction, using any contrivance, or doing any act whereby
salmon are deterred in passing up and down a free gap. Penalty : First offense, not
exceeding £5; second, not less than £2 lOs. and not exceeding £10; third, not less
than £5 and not exceeding £10; fourth, not less than £10.

(25) Using any box or crib in any fishing weir or fishing milldam, the upper sur-
face of the sill of which is not level with the bed of the river, and the bars or
inscales of which are nearer than 2 inches and not placed perpendicularly. Penalty :
First offense, not exceeding £5 a day; second, not less than £2 10a. and not exceed-
ing £5 a day; fourth, not less than £5 a day.

(26) Not maintaining a box or crib in stich state. Penalty: First offense, not
exceeding £1 a day; second, not less than $2 10s. and not exceeding £laday;
third, not less than £5 and not exceeding £1 a day; fourth, not less than £1 a day.

(27) Using any box or crib in any fishing weir or fishing milldam, having any
spur, tail wall, leader, or outrigger of a greater length than twenty feet from the
upper or lower side of such box or crib. Penalty: First ofi'ense, not exceeding £1 a
day; second not less than £2 lOs. and not exceeding £1 a day; third, not less than
£5 and not exceeding £1 a day; fourth, not less than £1 a day.

[Salmon flaliery act, 1865.]

(28) Fishing for salmon with a rod .and line without a license. Penalty: First
offense, not less than double the amount of the license duty and not exceeding £5;
second, not less than £2 lOs. and not exceeding £5; third, not less than £5.

(29) Fishing for salmon within any fishing weir, fishing milldam, putt, putcher,
net, or other instrument or device other than a rod and line. Penalty : First offense,
not less than double the license duty payable .and not exceeding £20; second, not
less than £2 10s. and not exceeding £20; third, not less than £5 and not exceeding
£20; fourth, not less than £20.

(30) Any person fishing refusing to produce his license on being asked by a con-
servator, Avater bailiff', or licensee. Penalty : First offense, not exceeding £1 ; second,
not less than £2 lOs. ; third, not less than £2.

(31) Fishing for trout or char between the 2d October and the 1st P^ebruary fol-
lowing, both inclusive. Penalty: Forfeiture of fish; first offense, not exceeding £2,
second, not less than £2 10s. ; third, not less than £5.

432 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

(32) Not entering salmon intended for exportation with the proper officer of cus-
toms before shipment between the, 3d September and the 30th April. Penalty : First
od'ense, not exceeding £2 a Hsh; second, not less than £2 and not exceeding £2 a
fish; third, not less than £5 and not exceeding £2 a fish; fourth, not less than £2 a
fish.

[Salmon fishery act, 1873.]

(33) Clerk of the peace omitting to send notice of the names and addresses of the
conservators appointed by difierent counties where the district comprises more than
one county to the clerk of the board within fourteen days of the appointment. Pen-
alty: First offense, £2; second, not less than £2 lOs. ; third, not less than £5.

(34) Clerk of the justices not sending certificate of any conviction against the
salmon fishery acts to the clerk of the board of conservators within one month.
Penalty: First oft'ense, not exceeding £2; second, not less than £2 lOs. ; third, not
less than £5.

(35) Shooting any draft net for salmon across a river or across more than three-
quarters of its width within 100 yards of any other draft net not drawn in and
landed. Penalty : First ofi'ense, not exceeding £5; second, not less than £2 10s. and
not exceeding £5; third, not less than £5.

No. 5. — Letter of L. A. Pederson, showing condition existing on Xaknek River, Alaska.

San Francisco, January 28, 1895.

Dear Sir; Hope you will pardon my taking this liberty, sir, but Mr. Alexander,
fish commissioner for this coast, speaking in reference to my cannery site in Alaska,
recommended that I write full ])articulars to you personally,

Mr. Alexander stated that lie was about to leave for Washington and will also bring
the matter before you. He has been on the ground and is personally acquainted with
the whole aft'air.

I have been to Alaska regularly for the last nine years, and for the last five years
have been salting salmon for myself on the west side of Naknek Eiver, Bristcd Bay.

Having but little money, I was obliged to start alone on a small scale at first and
only put up 250 barrels. I did this without any assistance from anyone.

The company who allowed me to take passage on their vessel charged $600 for the
round trip. A moderate figure would have been $200.

The next year I packed 450 barrels with the assistance of one man and a little help
from the natives.

For the thinl year I had a contract made to pay $700 for my passage, but at this
time the Alaska Packers' Association was formed, which, as you no doubt know, is
a combination of all the Alaska canneries, excepting two or three.

I went to them and endeavored to obtain a passage, but they refused to take me
up and told me that if I could do anything alone to go ahead. This was rather dis-
couraging to me, but, nothing daunted, I decided to charter a small schooner. Golden
Fleece by name, and after many hardships succeeded in coming home with 1,200
liarrels. These were packed with the assistance of 12 men and the natives.

The fourth year I chartered the schooner Prosper, and with the assistance of 25
men and the natives packed 2,600 barrels.

The fifth year I chartered the schooner Sailor Boy, and with the assistance of 29
men and the natives came home with 2,650 barrels. This was for the year 1894, but
I have not succeeded in selling all the salmon as yet, owing to action of the Alaska
Packers' Association.

Knowing that most salting expeditions finally result in a cannery being put up, it
has been their policy right along to discourage salting as much as possible, and last
year they made a master stroke by deciding to put up as much salt salmon as they
could and then sell it for much less than cost. They reduced the price from $8 to $5
per barrel, which, of course, ruined the piofit I had been making each year. Besides,
I am unable to get rid of the salmon.

The only thing left for me to do is to start a small cannery and I am now making
the necessary preparations. Before coming to this conclusion I appealed to the
Alaska Packers' Association and endeavored to sell them my plant, failing which, I
agreed to pay them for the use of their side of the river a good round rental each
year. They also refused this, and in fact I have not been able to come to any under-
standing with them whatever.

They are also making preparations to put up a cannery across the river from me,
and I learn from good authority that their idea is to put traps on my side of the
river also, so that I Avill be entirely shut out. The situation is so that without traps
the fish can not be caught.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 433

I had my side of the river duly surveyed last summer, and what I particularly
desire and pray for is that you restrict them from fishing on my side of the river and
on the laud that I have had surveyed. Of coursf, my survey ouly goes down on the
beach as far as high- water mark, and it seems tome that they can be restricted from
fishing on any land in front of my survey, and which is dry at low water.

I would be perfectly willing to stay on my side of tlie river if tliey would stay on
theirs, and tliey have the better side. Of course, I shall be dependeut entirely for
my living on what I do in this river, while they are a large corporation with
$5,000,000 of capital, and have cannery sites all over Alaska, so that anj' little incon-
venience they might sulier by bothering me, or any small loss which they might
incur by so doing, would really cut no figure in their busiuesss.

If they are allowed to block me iu with traps on jny side of the river I shall cer-
tainly be driven to the wall, and not only I, but many ot the poor natives, who
depend upon the work which they obtain from me for their living.

For the last three years* I have given them $1 a day and board. They are also
becoming more civilized each season and seem more willing to work. It has been my
policy right along to encourage them in this and to teach them as much as possible.

Each year, as soon as our vessel is sighted out in Bristol Bay, a score or more of
the natives start right out in canoes and board us many miles from our anchorage.
They are always anxious for provisions, and I deal out to them chests of crackers,
clothing, and provisions, all of which seem to delight them very much.

All I have made in and out of Alaska I have put in im^irovemeuts at my cannery
site, and it seems a strange law to me which will allow a huge corporation like the
Alaska Packers' Association to down a poor man.

Since first starting in Naknek with a very small capital I have certainly had uphill
work and a varied experience. It has been nothing but constant work and trouble.
This will, of course, all count for naught if these people are allowed to crush me, and
my whole prospect in life will be spoiled.

I appeal to you, sir, for protection, and hope you will do all in your power to assist
me iu seeing that they keep within the law, and that they do nothing toward their
fellow-men (even if the law cau be evaded in so doing) except what is just.

I kuow the Government likes to jirotect the natives as much as possible, and if I
am ruined the natives will be injured beyond measure also. In addition to this, all
the men that I have been employing each year, and have taken from here, will of
course be out of employment, and if I am successful in constructing my canner.N and
protected iu catching fish on the land which I have had surveyed, I will be able to
employ many more than any year before.

I feel satisfied that with your assistance I can pull through, and this large corpo-
ration can easily be kept within the proper bounds. They have certainly no right
to molest me and have no reason for being jealous of me, as my cannery is not in
opposition to theirs, for I was in Alaska long before the Alaska Packers' Association
was ever thought of.

Would it be convenient for you to send a steamer by the river before the fishing
season commences, say about middle of June?

Am very anxious to hear from you, sir, and hope you will be kind enough to let me
know what the prospect is as soon as convenient.

Thanking you in advance and anxiously awaiting your reply, I remain.
Your obedieut servant,

L. A. Pederson,
722 Hairison street.

Col. Marshall McDonald,

United States Commishioner of Fish and Fisheries, Washington, D. C.

Karluk, Alaska, August 16, 1S94.

STATEMENT OF MR. ARTHUR L. DUNCAN.

Arthur L. Duncan, superintendent of the Hume Canning and Trading Company,
Tanglefoot Bay, near Karluk, Kadiak Island. My business is catching and canning
salmon in shore seines drawn from the shore.

On July 9, 1894, we made our first lay out with the purse seine, under direction of
Mr. .lames Williams, who was then our boss fisherman (purse seine), and who is now
at San Francisco.

We first started to fish below Julia Ford Point, but the Alaska Packers' Associa-
tion did not trouble us below that point. On July 9 we started to lay out our purse
seine, and after we got our line run out this party came out from tlie shore and Mr.
Williams ])ieked up our lino and then moved his whole gear, lighter and all, farther
down toward the mouth of the river; he did this because he thought they were

H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 28

434 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

coming out to interfere witli his net. Previous to this a notice was found signed
"Fishermen of Karluk," outside our cannery, nailed to the flag pole outside of my
house. Tills notice was to the effect that if we fished within the limits of >Seveu
Mile Point and Julia Vovd Point, with a purse seine, it would meet with the same
fate that the traps did used by Barker in the Karluk IJiver. (Destroyed.)

On the second occasion, when we went to lay out our purse seine, we were about
three-quarters of a mile Irom the mouth of the river, and our net could not in any
way have covered tlie mouth of the river, and they run a net out so that we could
not close in without going over their net. On this occasion, Mr. Williams shortened
up his circuit and run his net into the barge, just aroiind their seine skiff, thus com-
pleting tlie one circuit. To do this, however, he could not get the full net out, but
only a part of it. Then ho made a haul, which, of course, was spoiled by not being
able to get out his full net. The mea pulled their net out, and cursed, and said the
next time they v/ould fix me. Our men then went to the men, and shortly after-
wards two steam launches and two seines came down to where the purse seine was
lying, and eveiy time that Mr. Williams would make a move these men would follow
with the steam launches and seines.

The next day Mr. Williams said he would have to overhaul his gear and shorten
up his net; if he was going to be molested he could not work such a long net. About
1.30 p. m. we were ready to start out again and get down to the point (close to the
slide), and on passing tlie Alaska Improvement Company's steam launch noticed two
men coming out from the shore in a seine boat, evidently to get up steam, and after-
wards noticed they were getting up steam in one of the Alaska Packers' Association
Company's steam launches which was lying at her mooring. About 2 p.m. we started
to run out a purse seine, and in the meantime a seine skiff started off Karluk belong-
ing to the Alaska Packers' Association and arrived just as we got our purse seine
haul out about 2 fathoms to each wing. Capt. Harry Newman, of the Alaska Pack-
ers' Association, was in charge of this boat, and he ran over our net with his seine
skiff and I warned him not to do it, and to keep away. He didn't notice this and
was starting in to cross the line and held up his anchor evidently with the intention
of dropping it inside our net and we called to him not to do it, but he took no notice
of it and dro])ped his anchor over into the middle of our net. He then circled around
the Inside of our net and then crossed over the cork line and then passed the painter
of his seine skiff' to one of the Alaska Packers' Association steam launches which
had come down in the meantime. The steam launch then towed his boat with his
anchor still down in our net. I warned him not to do this, but he simply pointed
to the seine skiff and to Newman.

Then another steam launch came down and passed over our net, and then Mr. Bar-
ling, of the Alaska Improvement Company, came down with a steam launch and had
some dories, I think. He then passed the line of his seine skiff' to the other Alaska
Packers' Association's steam launch which had passed over the top of our net and I
warned him to keep away, but he ran right through it and passed over the other
side and came to the back of our lighter. Then he came around to the front of the
net where the Alaska Packers' Association's steam launch was turning the seine skiff'
with the anchor and he took the line from the other steam launch and began to tow;
that is. Barling's steam launch began to tow the skiff' with the anchor in place of
the other steam launch; then the other two steam launches hitched on to Barling's
launch and all three towed. I was in our steam launch, and finally, after two
attempts, succeeded in cutting the line. We then hauled in the balance of the purse
seine to the lighter, and the anchor, which we found entangled in the web of the
purse seine, we threw overboard, and after getting the balance of the web we
started off and went down to the waterfall, which is about 2 miles from the mouth
of the river, and two of the other steam launches followed us with a fishing gang
and gear. We went to see if one of our fishing gangs had got any fish and then we
started home. Within a few days after we laid our purse seine in front of our can-
nery, but they didn't trouble us any this time. We fished several times after this
with our purse seine, but we were not troubled in front of our own cannery. They
said we must not use our purse seine between Julia Ford Point and Seven Mile
Point. Julia Ford Point lies just next to our cannery, between it and Barling's,
Seven Mile Point is a point about 7 miles north of the Karluk Kiver. They also
limited us to a mile and a half offshore. This notice, hoAvever, simply applied to
our ])urse seine.

Once before this our men had gone over to the mouth of the river and were about
to start to lay a shore seine, but Barling informed them as often as they did this he
would lay another seine within theirs and scoop the catch.

We have never used our purse seine within the limits laid down in the notice of
the Karluk fishermen since the disturbance. We fish now exclusively with the shore
seines directly in front of our establishment to the beach and sometimes down at the
waterfall. We never go to the river at all.

The purse seine we found could not be worked with advantage oft" the shore in

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 435

front of our cannery, and we have not used it regularly since the disturbance, but
have made several trials. Ordinarily in using our shore seines we start with a line
at Bridle Line, 15 or 20 fathoms; we then spread the seine in a semicircle, according
to the way the fish have come in; we then haul it in on the other side by means of a
donkey engine.

I desire to bring out especially the point if we were pormitted to use the purso
seine within the limits prescribed by the notice of the Karluk lishermen we could do
so successfully; at least Mr. Williams claims this. Barling notitieil our boss lisher-
mau on the day when he threatened to cork our lines above mentioned that any
attempt on our part to land a shore net would be a failure.

The Indians are in the habit of drawing nets in the Karluk River and selling the
fish to the Alaska Packers' Association.

To-day there are no obstructions in the Karluk River. The Indians merely drag the
seines in the river, in my opinion.

There are more fish here this year than there were last, although they were late
in coming.

"We have 16,000 cases now and hope to get 28,000 during the season, and we have
already cleared our expeuses. We shut down last year September 16.

We fish at any time, regardless of tide.

There has been an understanding that there shall be no fishing by seine or other-
wise from Friday at 6 p. m. to Saturday at 6 p. m., but all the canners at times have
disregariled this.

The Alaska Packers' Association have four canneries. Two are now in operation.

We have 65 Chinese in our employment and make our contract with one Chinaman
at San Francisco. We guarantee him 25,000 cases and he is paid 44 cents per case
and put up 800 a day, good and merchantable, and lacquer and label them.

All our Chinese are registered except one, and it is stated in our contract that if
they art^ not registered the contractor is to pay the tine. We take them up and
down. They return about September or October, after we have finished our season.

We have 31 white men, Swedes and Germans, and no natives, and have about 110
men in all.

The Chinese feed themselves, mainly on rice and fish.' We merely give them quarters
and fuel.

1 think there ought to be some limitation at the mouth of the river.

I have worked in a hatchery and know of no reason why we should not succeed
up here.

Karluk, Alaska, August 16, 1894.
Then personally appeared the within-mentioned Arthur L. Duncan and made
oath that the statements heroin contained were true, to the best of his knowledge
and belief.

C. L. Hooper,
Notary Public, District of Alaska.

REPORT OF JOSEPH MURRAY, SPECIAL TREASURY AGENT, FOR

THE YEAR 1895.

Division of Special, Agents,

Treasury Department,
Washington^ D. (7., December 20^ 1895.

Sir : I have the honor to report that pursuant to Department instruc-
tions dated April 4, 1895, I proceeded to the Pacific Coast and sailed
from Seattle April 23, on board the regular mail steamer for Sitka,
where I arrived May 1 and learned that court was about to be held at
Juneau, to which city I immediately returned for the purpose of looking
after the interest of the Government, as it might appear in the ex-Mar-
shal Porter case, one of whose deputies, Mr. Adolph Myer, was about
to be tried on charges of forgery, embezzlement, stealing public records,
and several others of like nature.

My written instructions are as follows :

Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary,

Washington, D. C, Ajml 4, 1895.

Sir : You are directed to perfect your arrangements with a view to your departure for
Sitka, Alaska, with as little delay as practicable. It will be your duty to ascertain
aud report the location of every salmon cannery or saltery in Alaska; the capacity
of the same in cases, barrels, half-barrels, and kits ; the pack in full for each season ;
the number of boxes of tin consumed and the cost of the same per box at place of
purchase; the approximate or actual selling price of the product of each fishery in
the market to which the same may be consigned ; the number of employees in each
cannery and the totals thereof, segregating whites, natives, Chinese, etc., male and
female, adults and minors, and whether citizens or aliens. You should include, also,
in said reports the codfish, herring, herring-oil, guano, and other such industries.
It is desired that you investigate the alleged taking and destruction of the eggs of
game wild fowl in Alaska, as well, also, as to the alleged wanton destruction of game
birds, deer, fox, and other animals, and also the advisability of adopting suitable
regulations as to close seasons, in order to prevent such destruction in future.

You should visit, if possible, every cannery in Alaska, and, when practicable, the
necessary journeys should be made on vessels of the United States. This instruction is
not to be construed, however, as forbidding the use of other means of conveyance
when necessary. You are expected to report to the nearest collector of customs any
infraction of the revenue laws which may come to your notice. You should report,
also, to the Department any violation of the laws relating to the introduction of
firearms or of liquors into the Territory of Alaska.

For your information I inclose herewith copy of the circular dated August 10, 1892,
pertaining to the erection of dams, barrica<les, or other obstructions in the rivers of
Alaska for the purpose or result of preventing or impeding the ascent of salmon or
other anadromous species to their spawning grounds. It will be your duty to enforce
the provisions of said circular and to warn all persons who have erected dams, barri-
cades, or other obstructions to remove the same forthwith, and in default thereof
you should report the facts, with the proper proofs, to the United States attorney for
prosecution.

You should submit reports to the Department from time to time showing the result
of your work, and at the close of the fishing season you should forward a full report,
covering said season and stating the result of your observations under these instruc-
tions. Any recommendations you deem advisable may be embodied in your reports.
Any official communication which the Department may find necessary to address to
you hereatter will be mailed to Sitka, Alaska. In this connection you are informed

436

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 437

that in addition to your duties as an agent for the salmon fisheries you are to hold
yourself in readiness to make such other investigations or render any service which
the Department may require of you. If practicable, you should at some time dur-
ing the ensuing season visit the seal islands of St. Paul and St. George for the pur-
pose of inspecting the rookeries thereon and of comparing their condition with that
of the season of 1894, with which you are familiar.

Respectfully, yours, J. G. Carlisle,

Secretary.

Mr. Joseph Murray,

Special Agent for the Protection of the Salmon Fisheries,

Fort Collins, Colo.

In addition to the foregoing, I was verbally instructed (time permit-
ting) to attend court during the trial of the ex-Marshal Porter case and
to take particular notice of how jury trial was conducted in Alaska,
and to learn what I could from reliable sources about the manufacture
and importation of spirituous liquors.

Finding it was as yet too early for salmon fishing and that I could
not find transportation to the nearest cannery for several weeks, and
as I was in the midst of the best part of Alaska and of its best and
most energetic citizens, where I could procure most of the information
asked for in my instructions, I resolved to attend court until the arrival
of the Bering Sea patrol fleet ofl" Sitka, and then continue my journey
to the westward.

During our travels through Alaska in 1894, Hon. C. S. Hamlin,
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and I were informed at every
important i^oint we touched and found white men that, " because of its
nonenforcement, the law is looked upon as a farce," and that "it is
impossible to find a jury to convict for smuggling or violating the
revenue law," and I am sorry to have to report that it is only too true.

For three weeks I was present at every session of tlie court, and in
that time I learned beyond a doubt that not only were juries to be had
to return verdicts of "not guilty" in behalf of every violator of the
revenue law, but also for any crime, if one only knew the particular
attorney to employ.

Mr. Adolph Myer had been a deputy for Marshal Porter; had abso-
lute control and personal charge of the marshal's office, books, and
money, and for years served his superior faithfully and well. But
under the evil influence of bad and wicked men he was led step by
step from one crime to another until forgery and embezzlement were
reached, and then the end.

When the case was about to come to trial, I was in daily, hourly
communication with the district attorney, whom I advised to stand up
for the right against all of the vile methods that might be used against
him, and that in doing so he would be supported by the Government.
He said he was afraid of bodily injury, of his personal safety; that
unless he could secure the joint services of a certain attorney whom he
named and whose strength and worth lay in his power to influence
juries, it would be useless to try the case before a jury, for most of the
jurymen would be personal friends of the prisoner and many of them
participators in his crime; that although the prisoner was guilty of
enough crime to keep him imprisoned twenty years, if he could not
influence the jury he would be turned loose on a verdict of "not guilty."

Not knowing how to influence the jury for the purposes indicated,
and being unable to control tlie district attorney, I was necessarily
obliged to remain a silent spectator of a compromise between the parties
interested, the terms of which were that on condition of the withdrawal
of the x)lea ©f "not guilty" and the substitution of the x)lea of "guilty"

438 ALASKA TNDUSTRTES.

the prisoner would be let off with a small fine and light sentence, which
was done by the district attorney stating that a fine of $50 and twenty-
eight months' imprisonment would be satisfactory.

As soon as he was sentenced he was taken from his cell to the grand
jury room to testify against his former employer and superior officer,
ex Marshal Porter, and he actually did testify to Porter's having em-
bezzled or stolen a sum of money from the Government, sent from the
Department of Justice by check, amounting to some $1,120.32, which
amount was part of the money drawn by Deputy Myers from the
Department during the temporary absence of the marshal, and for which
he had just been convicted.

And yet, on testimony of that sort and from such a source, ex-Marshal
Porter was indicted by the grand jury of Alaska for embezzlement. He
was approached in my presence by the district attorney as a friend,
and asked to acknowledge that the Government owed the money to the
marshal's office, or to be disgraced in his old age by an indictment by
the grand jury.

Porter answered that he would die before he would consent to rob
the Government, and the next day he was indicted.

LIQUOR AND SMUGGLING.

Liquor cases were called and disposed of with the regularity of clock-
work, and always with the same result; the witnesses were Indians and
half-breeds, the prisoner was a white man, and his friends and chums
were in the jury box to acquit him.

"Can you render a verdict according to the law and testimony," said
the judge to a man who was being sworn as a juror. "I can," said the
fellow, "unless the testimony is that of an Indian."

The testimony of Indians is not ralued in Juneau, although many of
them are brought in here as witnesses, and supported at the expense of
the Government.

Within sight of the court-house were 30 public saloons open and
doing a public business, some of the more pretentious ones keeping
open house all night, and there was not a Government officer in Juneau
who could be found to interfere with them.

On one technicality or another it seems the laws are not sufficiently
explicit to make it the plain duty of any particular officer to raid a
saloon without the cooperation of other officers, who are, as a rule, not
on hand when wanted.

Speaking to a customs officer at Juneau, I said, "How on earth do
you account for the existence of so many saloons in Juneau, and many
larger ones in course of erection, if you men do your duty"?" To which
he replied, " Mr. Murray, I know you are justified in asking such a
question, but you do not know anything about the real situation here
or you would not blame me personally. When I first came here I was
zealous and watchful, and I raided a smuggler's den and captured
some 10 barrels of liquor, but what was the result? The district attor-
ney came into court and moved to have that smuggler discharged on
paying a fine of $50."

Meeting the district attorney, I asked him for his side of the story,
and he said, " Yes, I did let the fellow go on a small fine, for I found
that because he was not in the inner circle of smugglers and vendors
he had been selected as a victim and his whisky seized, taken to the
custom-house, and sold at private sale to one of the inner ring for less
than one third its real value."

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 439

And SO the story continued to the end of the chapter; one officer
willing to lay all the blame on the otlier, while between them the inter-
ests of the Government are left to suffer, and the law, that was intended
to do good, become a subject of derision and contempt.

At Juneau many influential professional and business men—whose
names can be given if necessary — expressed themselves to me iu sub-
stance as follows: "There are 30 saloons here doing an open, public
business, and the governor is being very badly deceived by men high
in public affairs who are all more or less financially interested in the
liquor business. We favor the fearless enforcement of the law or its
unconditional repeal. We think that the true solution of the liquor
question in Alaska is high license — say $1,000 in Sitka and Juneau and
in proportion in smaller places."

One of the most prominent attorneys at the Juneau bar said: "I
have faith in the future of Alaska, and I think I can give some reliable
information about the country and its needs. 1 believe the Govern-
ment is to blame because, for ten or twelve years, no effort has been
made to enforce the law, until now the average man has no idea of
having any law enforced. Courts, juries, and lawyers are looked upon
with contempt. Juries can not be found here, even among our best peo-
ple, to convict for smuggling or violating the revenue laws. Perjury
is common; and I should advise the taking away the jury system of
trial in cases where the excise laws are in question. I would say that
all petty cases should be tried without a jury. Everything here — cost,
distance, and sparse settlement — is against it. The whole system needs
an overhauling. Things are done in such a slipshod manner that Gov-
ernment interests are neglected and the weak attempts made to uphold
the law are a complete farce. Ko serious attempt has been made to
enforce the liquor law, and liquor is sold here publicly. Charge $1,000
for license and then enforce the law. Had I the power to do it, I would
enforce the law at any cost; for, as now carried on, we are teaching the
rising generation to utterly disregard all law, and they are growing up
to be our dangerous classes."

The foregoing are sample conversations with the best people in
Alaska, and I could quote scores of them were it necessary.

Complaint was made on all sides by men of that large class who are
too poor to purchase liquor in large quantities and are not influential
enough to get permits from the customs authorities to bring it in on the
mail steamer. That only a few favored ones — mostly liquor dealers —
were allowed this privilege seemed to be a source of much indignation.

Exhibit marked B, handed me by the district attorney, shows the
quantity of liquor that entered by permit from January 1, 1894, to
March 10, 1895— fourteen months; during which time permits were
issued to 34 persons to bring in several hundred barrels of distilled and
malt liquors.

It seemed that the necessity to obtain a permit had ceased to exist
when I was in Juneau in May, for representative salesmen for whole-
sale liquor houses at San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland were offer-
ing to deliver the liquor into the saloons at Juneau before they would
ask pay.

This, in brief, is a true outline of the liquor question in Alaska, nor
can it be remedied unless the Government goes to work to enforce or
repeal the present prohibitory law relating to the liquor traffic in the
Territory.

So long as the Government does not own or control a boat of any sort
in a stretch of country 1,500 miles long, where the only road is a water-

440 ALASKA INDUSTRIES,

way-— SO long as Government officers are compelled, because of lack of
boat service, to stand helpless on shore while the smuggler plies his
illegitimate trade beneath their very eyes, so long will the present state
of affairs continue to curse Alaska and to be a disgrace to our whole
country.

While at Juneau in May 1 was informed of an attempt that was about
to be made to land a cargo of liquor destined for the Yukon Valley
trade, and one of the most energetic inspectors in Alaska was on the
watch to capture it if possible. He did not succeed, however, for by
the time he secured a boat to transport him to the rendezvous of the
smugglers he found he was twenty-four hours late. Speaking of the affair
afterwards he said to me: "If I only had a boat that was always at
my disposal I think I could break up a great deal of this smuggling;
but, hampered as I am now, I am powerless, for no sooner do I hire a
boat to go anywhere than the signal flies over the district. It will
require the presence of a revenue cutter and half a dozen steam launches
to kill off smuggling in Alaska." Every word of which I indorse.

The peculiar conditions surrounding the Alaskan liquor question
have not been taken into account by many men of extreme views who
have written or spoken on the subject; indeed, I question if they ever
understood it. The truth is that if there is a climate under the sun
where liquor is a necessity to man that climate is in Alaska, and con-
sequently white men demand and must have it at any cost and in spite
of all obstacles.

This is the reason we find 99 per cent, of the white population bitterly
opposed to the present prohibitory law. This is why no officer can be
found to attempt to enforce the law or a jury to uphold it. And where
public sentiment and public opinion are so plainly against a law, no
matter how well intentioned or good in itself, it is wise to heed the sign
and amend or repeal it. During a conversation with the assistant dis-
trict attorney, Mr. Hoggert, on this subject he said: ''During the past
four years $148,000 were spent in Alaska on cases of Indians and half-
breeds who had gotten drunk or had peddled whisky without any lasting
or definite results. Had we had a high license during that time we could
have saved that expense to the Government and collected revenue
enough to make the Territory self-supporting."

DESTRUCTION OF GAME-FOWL, EGGS.

The stories told of the wanton destruction and the systematic steal-
ing of wild game-fowl eggs have no foundation in fact.

I have traveled over thousands of miles of the coast line of Alaska,
making diligent inquiry into this matter, without finding one person
who knew anything about it. I have conversed with men who spent
twenty to thirty years in the interior of Alaska, mining, hunting, and
trading, men who had gone over every mile of habitable land in the
Territory, without ever hearing of such a thing until I asked them. I
have written to traders whose business takes them to the Upper Yukon
country, far into the British possessions, men who travel from the
source to the mouth of the great river; I have written to missionaries
whose labors call them into all the native settlements on the Yukon,
Kuskoquim, and other rivers, and the unvarying reply is, " We never
heard anything about such things."

As a matter of fact, it is not yet known for certain where the wild
fowl lay their eggs. They certainly find some island, marsh, morass,
swamp, or tundra where man can not penetrate, or, at all events, where

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 441

he has not as yet goue nor is likely to go until the inducement is some-
thing of far more value than wild-fowl eggs.

DESTRUCTION OF DEER.

The destrnction of deer in southeastern Alaska and in all the tim-
bered portion of the Territory from Cape Fox to Port Moller, a distance
of, say, 1,200 to 1,500 miles, is carried to such excess that it would
hardly be credited in a civilized community.

1 saw bales of the dried deerskins at many of the trading posts await-
ing shipment, and when I asked what use had been made of the carcasses,
I was told the deer were shot for their hides only.

I was informed by many men — officers and citizens — that, as the
weather became warmer in the early spring, the smell from decaying
deer carcasses became horribly offensive around the towns and villages.
White men go out and kill the aidmals for fun, just to see who can
knock down most in a given time. The natives kill them, because they
can get a drink of whisky, valued at 25 cents, for every skin secured.

That such things have been allowed to continue at any time is to be
deeply regretted; but that it is still allowed to continue after the
natives on the seal islands have become a burden on the Government,
and other tribes to the northward soon will be because of the wanton
waste of their natural food supply on land and water, passes the com-
prehension of every sensible citizen who understands the present
situation.

To the northward we are endeavoring to procure and foster the rein-
deer for a future food supply for the natives of that barren region, and
it is a very laudable enterprise; but at the same time we allow the
continued wanton destruction of the deer that covers the whole tim-
bered part of Alaska — an empire as large as Texas. In the winter,
when the snow is deepest and the animals can not make a way through
the dense undergrowth beneath the timber, the so-called sportsmen as-
semble, and with dogs drive them out on the seashore, whose beaches
are kept clean by the tides, where riflemen are ready, stationed in boats
offshore, to begin the manly sport of shooting down helpless creatures,
who can neither resist nor escape.

The following letter from an eyewitness explains itself:

Steamer Albatkoss, Unalaska, Attgust 28, 1895.

My Dear Sir: I have not been able to unearth the notes I had on deer killing in
Alaska. Briefly, their slaughter has been very great. During the winter of 1894 deer
were killed and wasted in southeastern Alaska. Snow was unusually deep and the deer
were forced to the beaches, which were left clear by the tides. Shooting was done
from boats and canoes by both whites and Indians. I know of three Indians killing
175 deer from canoes in two days. Many whites shot for hides alone, and at many
places hides could be bought for 35 cents each. I do not think that Indians should
be prevented from shooting all kinds of game for their own needs, but killing for
hides alone is certainly reprehensible, and if the rate of slaughter that has been
going on for the past few years is continued, there will be very few deer left.

As the hides are of comparatively little value, their exportation might be stopped
without causing any serious hardship to anyone, and of course when the hides become
unsalable, the Indians will not kill many more than they need.

I have never heard of any destruction of birds or birda' eggs and can not imagine
how there could be any remarkable waste of that nature, although I am familiar
with the natural history of a considerable portion of the Territory,
Very truly, yours

C. H. Townsend.

Col. Joseph Murrat.

442 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

FOXES.

After we pass the timber belt to the westward we find but very little
game, the only valuable land animal on the Aleutian chain of Islands
being the fox, which until recently was a source of income to the natives,
who spent the greater part of the winter hunting and trapping the
animal.

All that has been said about the wanton destruction of deer can be
said with equal truth about the wholesale poisoning by which whole
islands are stripped of their foxes in one winter, and the native hunter
and his children left to starve. So systematically is the work done and
so desperate are the gang engaged in it that those who know them best
are very careful to say least about them.

Members of the gang are to be found wherever there is money to be
made suddenly by illegitimate means. In the fishing season they dam
the streams, capture the salmon by the quantity, and sell them to the
nearest cannery for what they will bring. They never take the trouble
to tear down the dams. They are to be found in schooners in the early
spring hunting the sea otter in forbidden waters. They go to Bering
Sea after seals, and last season some of them made a successful raid on
a trading post and robbed it of some 15 or 20 fine sea-otter skins, valued
at $7,000 to $10,000.

Generally they wind up the year's plunder by selecting a group of
islands, where they spend the winter i^oisoniug foxes and securing the
pelts. These are the men who are armed to the teeth with the best
modern breech-loading arms; men who own swift-sailing schooners, in
which they carry cargoes of whisky from British Columbia, and, follow-
ing the Alaskan coast and Indian settlements, peddle it out to natives
for whatever skins and trinkets they may have to spare, and having
made them drunk, they slip in and rob them of everything.

No effort has ever been made to break up their nefarious business,
and now they swagger into court as though the Government were an
intruder, and listen awhile to the proceedings; just long enough to
assure themselves that their tools at the bar and in the jury box are
doing their duty — to the gang.

The perpetual presence of a revenue cutter that would patrol the
inner waters of Alaska from Gape Fox to Ohilcat and Sitka, aided by
armed steam launches stationed at convenient points along the route,
is the only practical method that I know of by which the present dan-
gerous bands of outlaws can be suppressed.

With boats at his disposal whenever needed, the marshal could
enforce the law, the collector could follow the smugglers to their ren-
dezvous and break up the whole business at one blow. As it is now,
all the oflflcers in Alaska are utterly powerless to do anything, and the
consequence is the laws are defied and derided and spat upon.

THE SEA OTTER.

The most valuable of all the fur-bearing animals in Alaskan waters
and the most widely distributed is undoubtedly the sea otter, which, if
properly protected by the Government, is capable of giving profitable
employment to the native hunters for all time.

Beginning at Sitka tliey were to be found till very recently all around
the coast and Aleutian Islands as far westward as Attou, a distance
of nearly 5,000 miles; but now, after a few years of hunting by the

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 443

modern metliods of steamers and steam launches, they are seldom found
outside a few favorably secluded spots. The steamer and the steam
launch carry crews of white hunters into every nook and cranny on the
coast and otter-hunting grounds where an animal is to be found, and
every one of them is either killed or chased away from home — chased
out to sea in many instances, where, if they happen to elude the hunter,
they die of starvation, for they can not go down for food in deep water.

None but native hunters should be permitted to hunt sea otter,
because it is almost the only support of all the native people from
Cooks Inlet to Attou Island, and, if left to them exclusively, their simple
methods of hunting on the water in skin boats, in which they dare not
venture far from land, can not possibly drive the animal away from its
customary haunts nor exterminate it.

I include in the term native hunters all whites who were married to
Indian women prior to 1893, when the ruling was changed. The orig-
inal ruling of the Department, made some twenty years ago, remained
ill force until 1893, and in the meantime many white hunters married
native women, made homes, and raised families, and became natives of
Alaska to all intents and purposes.

All their earthly possessions are invested in sea-otter hunting prop-
erty, their families have been brought up to that business exclusively,
the men themselves have made it their life work, and are now too old
to change or to go away from home to attempt to make a living at any
other business, and therefore it would be an act of gross injustice to
disturb them at this late day. With the white man who married a
native woman after the Department had given fair warning that he
would not be given the rights of a native hunter the case is altogether
different, and in his case the ruling of the Department ought to stand.
The farther away from the native settlements the average Alaskan
white hunter can be kept the better for the natives.

FUE SEALS.

Sailing from Sitka June 2, on board the U. S. revenue cutter Bush,
Capt. O. L. Hooper commanding, I landed at St. George June 18, where
1 learned that the preceding winter had been one of unusual severity,
that ice had lain around the island until June 15, and that, up to the
date of my landing, very few female seals had appeared upon the
rookeries.

The same story was repeated on St. Paul Island, where I spent the
19th and 20th of June visiting the principal rookeries and hauling
grounds, after which I sailed away and visited many of the native set-
tlements along the Aleutian chain, particulars of which will be given
in ray report on the condition of the native tribes.

I returned to the seal islands early in July and spent the 6th, 7th,
and 8th on the rookeries observing their daily growth and expansion,
as the cows were now arriving and the harems were well defined and
the pups becoming numerous.

Being well aware of the fact, however, that it is not till about July
20 the rookeries are full for the season, I continued to foUow the instruc-
tions which called me to other fields until July 18, when I returned to
the seal islands, where, all being ready, I entered on the most careful
and thorough inspection of the rookeries ever made by me. The result
is shown in the inclosed table marked Exhibit A.

Beginning at St. Paul Island July 21, and completing the work at St.
George August 14, I walked over the several rookeries and counted

444 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

every individual breeding male or bull seal who had a harem, noting
and counting very carefully, too, every idle bull, or, in other words,
every bull whose youth, strength, and vigor fitted and qualified him for
a harem had there been cows to be found in sufficient numbers to sup-
ply them, which, unfortunately, there were not. So carefully and so sys-
tematically was the counting done that I feel I can recommend the
figures as being as nearly correct and reliable as it is possible to get
them.

Under the head of bachelors, or young males, are included all the
seals on the islands other than those on the breeding rookeries, many
of them being young females, too young to go on to the breeding
grounds.

The bachelors have been estimated by me in the usual manner of
estimating a bunch of seals, and they may very possibly run a thousand
or two more or less than the figures given.

The number of breeding females or cows is based on an arbitrary
average of 40 to the harem, or 40 cows to every breeding bull, as was
adopted in and followed since 1891, though I am of the opinion it was
an overestimate and that the harems never did and do not now contain
an average of 40 cows each.

Having adopted that number, however, and having used it so long
in our estimates, it was necessary to use it in the present instance for
the sake of making fair comparisons when considering the steady
annual decrease of the seal herd and the shrinkage of the rookery area.

Admitting the average number of cows in a harem to be less than
40 — and I believe all who know anything about seal life on the rook-
eries will admit it is — then the total number of seals in the herd, as
estimated by me, will be that much less in proportion.

By way of explanation I will say that when we first attempted to
count the bulls, in 1891, for the purpose of getting, approximately, at
the number of seals on the islands, it was deemed best to run the risk
of overestimating the herds, lest Great Britain should object to our
figures and insist on a recounting and, possibly, discover an error upon
which to base an argument against us for the purpose of showing our
anxiety to prove the wicked wastefulness of pelagic sealing.

As the seals were at that time too numerous and the harems too com-
pact to admit of our going through and among them as we can now, we
simply aimed to count every bull we could see and multii)ly the num-
ber found by two, on tlie ground that it was not possible to penetrate
the mass far enough to see more than one-half of them.

And, lest that was not enough, we allowed an average of 40 cows to
each harem, although we were quite certain it was too high.

I have gone over the rookeries every year, in season, since 1891, and
I have noted the steady decrease of the herd from 500,000 then to
237,800 in 1895, when, because of the decrease, I was able to go in
among the herd at the height of the season and count every bull on the
islands.

Whether we erred in our estimates in our first crude efforts to get at
the facts is of no consequence now, for the fact remains that, no matter
what the actual numbers were in 1891, more than one-half of the whole
herd has been exterminated since then.

Taking it for granted that the estimates were wrong, the proportion
is still correct for all practical purposes, so that if we take the 500,000
of 1891 against the 237,800 of 1895, we find an average annual decrease
of 52,440 for the five years beginning with 1891 and ending with 1895.

That the average annual loss has been greater than this can be

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 445

demonstrated from the statistics on file in the Department which show
a pelagic catch of Alaskan seals to have been as follows :

1891 45, 491

1892 46,642

1893 28,613

1894 55,668

1895 (estimated) 40,000

Total for five years 216,864

to which I add 60 per cent for the loss of pups that died on the rookeries
because of the killing of their dams at sea during the nursing season.

I base the proportion of pups on what I witnessed this year in Bering
Sea, where the logs kept by the sealers showed a killing of 60 per cent
females for the season: 216,864 plus 60 percent equals 346,982 seals
taken or destroyed in five years by pelagic sealers who pay nothing
whatever for the care of the animals,

I have estimated 40,000 as the catch for 1895. I left Bering Sea Sep-
tember 18, when 31,216 seals had been taken by pelagic sealers, of which
number 18,868 or 60 per cent were females as per the logs of the several
vessels. These females were nursing mothers in milk, whose young
were left upon the rookeries while they went out to sea for food and
rest, instead of which they met the pelagic sealer who, according to law,
killed them and carried off their skins and left their helpless young to
bleat themselves to death upon the rookeries.

In a former report I pointed out the absurdity of the regulations that
would protect the female seals from the pelagic sealer during the
months of May, June, and July, most of which time they are on the
islands and beyond his reach, and that would give him a clear and
free field in August, as soon as the mother seal takes to the water
in search of much needed food and rest and when, above all other times,
she needs protection.

The taking of 31,000 seals in the month of August, 1895, proves the
correctness of my position, and renders it needless to dwell upon the
absurdity of the position the nation has been jjlaced in by the present
sealing regulations.

I therefore most respectfully call the attention of the Department to
the five suggestions made by me in my report of last year, the adop-
tion of which I believe will forever settle the seal question.

SALMON.

Owing to a lack of traveling facilities to the several canneries during
the fishing season, and to the fact that the whole revenue fleet of the
Pacific Ooast had to do duty in Bering Sea, I found it impossible to
visit many of the canneries beyond Karluk, where I found that one of
the rival establishments had sold out to the Alaska Packers' Associa-
tion and quit the business, thus leaving only two principal competitors
on the river — the Alaska Improvement Company and the Alaska Pack-
ers' Association.

Much crimination and recrimination were indulged in on both sides
as each endeavored to show it was the other one who violated the law,
and a string of complaints was presented by the Indians similar to
those presented by the same party in 1894, and of which I treated in
my report for that year.

I found the fishennen with their nets in the narrowest part of the
Karluk Eiver, and so systematically do they work the nets that I could

446 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

not see how it was possible for a fish to ever pass them to the spawn-
ing grounds.

Remonstrating with the foreman about such flagrant violation of the
law and of his own promise, made in 189-1, that such methods should
not be continued, he replied: "I was sent here to take fish; my orders
are to take them wherever I can find them, and I am going to obey my
orders."

He afterwards explained to me how, during the storms when the
water is too rough to allow the spreading of nets, enough salmon pass
into and up the river to supply twice the quantity of spawn required
for perpetuating the stock.

His rival across the river indorsed him in all this, but added: "As
soon as the storm ceases the fishermen follow the salmon upstream to
the playground and capture every one of them."^

Exhibit H, which accompanies this report, is a copy of a bill which I
would like to see become law, for I believe it would, if enforced, put an
end to the present wasteful methods of salmon slaughter in Alaska
without doing injury to any honestly conducted enterprise in the
Territory.

Exhibit G is a detailed statement of the salmon pack in Alaska for
1895, showing the number of fish taken, the number of cases put up,
and the number of men — white, native, and Chinese — employed ; also the
cost of the tin consumed in the business, the amount invested in each
plant owned by the Alaska Packers' Association, and other data as per
instructions. The only item of prime interest I have been unable to
secure is the selling price of the product of each cannery in the market
to which it is consigned.

Through the kindness and courtesy of the Alaska Packers' Associ-
ation 1 have learned that the average selling price in 8an Francisco,
where the greater bulk of the whole pack is sold, is as follows: Silver
salmon, 82 cents per dozen; red salmon, 92J cents per dozen; king
salmon, 92^ cents per dozen, and barrels of 200 pounds net, $4.75.

Considering that only very few silver salmon are taken and packed,
it is safe to say that the whole number of cases put up in 1895 averaged
$3.60 per case, or a sum equal to $2,229,704.40, which, added to the
price of 16,857 barrels at $4.75, makes a grand total of $2,326,968 as
the price realized on Alaskan salmon in 1895.

Exhibit F is a summary of the salmon pack of the Pacific Coast and
Alaska for 1895, showing a grand total of 2,040,016 cases of 48 pounds
each, the largest yearly catch on record. An examination of the figures
shows that about one-third of this catch was taken from the streams of
Alaska.

That adequate protection should be given to these streams by which
the salmon may be perpetuated indefinitely goes without saying, and
yet I find it the hardest part of all to make men believe there is any
danger in the present methods of fishing.

That I might not be accused of setting my own individual opinion
against men of practical experience, I addressed letters of inquiry to
many gentlemen who are deeply interested in Alaska, whose homes
are there, and who have everything at stake in the success or failure
of the Territory.

To Mr. William Duncan (Father Duncan), of Metlakahtla, I sent a
series of questions which I requested should be submitted to his peo-
ple for consideration and the answers given to me when I called at the

' The playground is that part of the stream where the salt and fresh waters meet
and mingle, in which the salmon prefer to live for several weeks before spawning.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 447

settlement in the fall. As I did not have the opportunity to return by
that route, I could not call at Metlakahtla as I intended, so Mr. Dun-
can very kindly sent me the following letter:

Metlakahtla, Alaska, Octoier 15, 1895.

My Dear Mr. Murray : Your letter dated Unalaska, September 11, only reached
nie the latter part of last week. It had been detained at Kitchecan over a week
through the lack of courtesy of the postmaster there.

On my arrival home last May, after the pleasant trip in your company to Sitka, I
called a meeting of our people and propounded to them the several knotty questions
you hnd suggested for our consideration. Last night we held another meeting, to a
iaee hour, on the same business, and I was much pleased with the sensible way the
natives took part in the discussion.

Question 1. "How to secure possession of Annette Island to our people and to such
other Indians as may join them from surrounding bands, whether by individual or
community title."

Our answer to this question is a unanimous voice in favor of a community title,
and the town council being empowered to grant allotments of land for legitimate
purposes to individuals as circumstances may arise calling for such action.

By this plan the present unity and regulations in the community could be pre-
served, whereas if individual titles of 160 acres, were granted by the Government,
the holder of each allotment being thus independent of the community, conflicting
interests might result in a rupture which would be very prejudicial to the character
and progress of the settlement.

Question 2. "How can the rights of the natives to the salmon streams be best
secured and maintained ?"

Our answer is, that, pending the Indians arriving at full American citizenship and
responsibility, the Government might proclaim all salmon streams Indian reserva-
tions or Government property, and only allow Ashing in them to proper persons and
under proper regulations.

Such a law would prevent canning companies from taking exclusive control of the
salmon streams, and might be made an important factor for bettering the condition
of the natives.

At jiresent Alaska is in danger of losing one of its greatest food supplies, through
cannery operations. The Indians are born fishermen, and being permanent residents
of the country fishing should, to a great extent, be in their hands, not as employees
only, but as vendors of the salmon to the canneries.

Question 3. "How best to preserve salmon life in Alaska ?"

Our answer to question 2 partly applies as answer to this. I will, however,
onumerato our views :

(1) Let the salmon streams be declared Government property, and the fishing in
them be absolutely controlled under Government regulations and by Government
agents.

(2) Only permit a certain number of salmon to be taken from each stream, the
number being decided by the capacity of the stream.

(3) Allow no modern barricades to be used in the streams, and even the simple ones
which have always been used by the natives ought to be removed on Saturdays in
each week.

(4) A limit should be placed to the pack of each cannery. I think 20,000 cases
should be the limit. If, however, canneries can keep on increasing their pack and
extending their time each year, as at present, fewer salmon each season will be left
for reproduction,

(5) No cannery should be allowed to work on Sunday, and if fishing was forbidden
after noon on Saturday till midnight Sunday of each week Sunday labor would
cease. We strictly keep to this rule at Metlakahtla.

Question 4. " How best to suppress liquor traffic? "

(1) Our answer is, give the present liquor law a fair trial, and to that end every
liquor saloon in Alaska should be suppressed and every drop of liquor now in it
should be destroyed.

(2) Any person found smuggling or selling liquor in Alaska should be fined and
imprisoned.

(3) Do away with the juries at the trial of liquor cases. Let the judges or com-
missioners appointed by the Government decide, upon certain given evidence, on the
guilt of the persons arrested for oftenses against the liquor law and an appeal
allowed only to the supreme district court.

(4) Let every person found intoxicated be imprisoned, and in the case of natives
the sentence to be commuted if the prisoner will give information leading to the
conviction of the person or persons who supplied him with the. liquors that intoxi-
cated him.

448 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

(5) Let every informer against offenders in liquor cases (if his evidence leads to a
conviction) be rewarded by receiving a part of the fine imposed on the offender.

(6) Let every commissioner in Alaska be instructed to swear in a goodly numl)er
of special police, without salary, especially among the natives, and let these be
encouraged to assist in carrying out this law.

Question 5. " Should absolute title to land in Alaska be given to cannery corpo-
rations?"

Our answer to this is, we think that title to the land on which they have placed
canneries should be given, but not to lands used only as fishing stations.

Question 6. "As to the granting of titles to land to whites in general."

We think that just so long as the Government refuses to give titles to land in
Alaska the country will be overrun with an irresponsible floating population.
Owing to the characteristics of the country this will be true, to a large extent, in
any event; but the ownership of property would have a tendency to locate some
permanent residents.

Question 7. "Should the exportation of lumber from Alaska be allowed?"

We think that until the country is more settled up the law forbidding the expor-
tation of lumber, which now exists, should remain in force.

Question 8. "Indian citizenship."

We think that question had better be delayed. No doubt there are some natives
ripe for the position, but the mass are not so. Let the missionary and school teacher
continue their work till the goal be reached.
Yours, very respectfully,

W. Duncan.

Hon. Joseph Murray,

Fort Collins, Colo.

I respectfully ask particular attention of the Department to this letter
of Mr. Duncan, for I believe that the adoption of many of his sugges-
tions would be a full and satisfactory solution of the many knotty prob-
lems at present perplexing all who feel a worthy and laudable interest
in the present good and future welfare of Alaska.

Another and an entirely different phase of the salmon question was
brought to my attention by Mr. John 0. Callbreath, of Fort Wrangell,
who has been endeavoring, single-handed, to introduce and propagate
salmon in streams where they did not exist, or from which they had
been driven before. I promised him in the spring that I would visit his
hatchery in the fail during my stay in the vicinity, but I did not get an
opportunity to return that way.

The following letter was written afterwards by Mr. Callbreath and
deserves careful consideration. Particular attention is called to that
portion of it treating of special "property rights to the producer for all
fish in excess of the natural product of the stream."

What Mr. Callbreath wants is assurance that after he has success-
fully stocked a stream with salmon, where none or but very few existed
before, he will be given rights in the fish as against all other claimants
who mi gilt desire to establish canneries on the stream. But here is his

letter to speak for itself:

Seattle, Wash., December 10, 1895.

Dear Sir: I regret my inability to have forwarded you an account of salmon
hatchery at an earlier day. Business in the interior, from which point there was no
means of communication, detained me until late in the fall. I have, however, a trusted
superintendent trained under my own care, who has made a complete success up to
November 1. I shall return soon and give the business my personal attention until
the young fry are out and placed in their respective preserves.

My process of hatching is the same as that followed by the Government hatcheries
at Clackamas, in the State of Oregon, and need not be described here.

My hatchery is situated on the western side of Etholine Island, on a lake discharg-
ing through a small stream, a mere brook, into McHenry Inlet — and producing from
3,000 to 5,000 sukkesh (Oncorhynchus nerka) salmon, an amount too insignificant to
be fished by the canuers or salters — and known among the Indians and fishermen as
a " cuttus chuck," or worthless stream. The lake on which my hatchery is located is
about three-fourths of a mile from tide water and contains about 500 acres.

I have built a dam-8 feet high across the creek a few yards above tide water, over
which no fish unaided can pass. When the sukkesh start to ascend the stream for

ALASKA INDUSTRIEfe 449

spawuiug, they are iiupouudecl iu a trap below the dam, picked up with a dip net, and
carefully placed above the dam, from whence they quickly proceed up to the lake,
where they lie iu the still, deep water until ripe for siiawuiug, a period of from two
to six weeks. They then take to the small clear streams ruuuiug into the lake, where
they are agaiu impounded by means of a weir and trap, and are stripped of their
eggs. The eggs are then fertilized by stripping the male over them, placed iu baskets,
and set iu troughs iu the way usual iu all hatcheries. A peculiarity about this class
of salmon, the Oncorhtjncliim nerka, is that they will not frequent a stream unless it
has a lake where they can lie and ripeu liefore spawning, although they never spawn
iu the lake; all the other species of Alaskan salmou frequent the streams where they
can obtain spawuiug ground indiscriminately whether they have lakes or uot.

My object in dammiug my stream near tide water is to keep back all enemies of
the youug fry, such as sea trout, bull heads, sculpins, sticklebacks, etc. ; by this
means I have my lake and streams cleared of these scourges of the young salmou,
as they are all salt-water hsh, and only go up to the lakes for plunder, returning to
salt water when their season is over. Of course there were many of them in the
lake and streams the first year, but when they passed down over the dam they could
never return. To protect the youug fry from their enemies iu the fresh water I
believe to be the great secret of successful salmon propagation. There is no bar to
the number of youug that can be produced at the Government hatcheries, where the
spawn in unlimited quantities can be obtained. But unless protected from their
euemies while young (and everything large enough to swallow them are their ene-
mies) a large proportion of them are destroyed in fresh water. In my own case,
however, the supply of tish is limited, aud all are utilized.

My lake now fairly swarms with young salmon where heretofore scarcely one
could be seen. I lind, however, that the sea trout aud others named are not their
ouly enemies. Their older brothers feed on the young fry. The young salmon
remain in the fresh water where they were hatched fourteen to eighteen months, so
they have from two to four months to prey on their young brothers. Then, after
going to sea, they will return for a short time to their native streams for a cannibal-
istic feast, aud here agaiu iu my case my dam acts as protector to the little ones, as
when once they pass down they can not return. I have seen them in vast numbers
about the size of sardines, antl packed almost as close, below the dam, trying to get uj),
but they soon disappear and return to salt water. In connection with this matter
of protecting the younger from their older brothers, I last year commenced an exper-
imental process, which I feel encouraged to believe will prove successful; that is,
by turning out a portion of my young fry in streams, on which there are lakes that
fall into the sea by falls, over which no fish can pass. As a consequence, most of
these streams and lakes are entirely barren of fish of any kind. There are three
streams and lakes of this description contiguous to my hatchery. In the winter of
1894-95 I placed 1,000,000 youug fry into one of these lakes, and the present season
of 1895-96 will place 2,000,000 iu another lake, and so keep on alternating until I
prove whether they will return to these streams. At the same time I will keep oii
.stockiug my own hatchery lake with as many as I think it will sustain. If my
experiment of stocking these heretofore barren lakes and streams proves successful,
anil I can see no reason why it should not, it will prove of great value to the salmon
fisheries of this coast, as these lakes abound all along the Alaskan coast.

I commenced my hatchery in the fall of 1892, but owing to the impure water of
the creek, which contains a large amount of impurities, had but indifferent success,
turning out ouly about 600,000. I then moved my hatchery up to the lake, three-
fourths of a mile, where I found streams of pure water aud even temperature,
45" iu summer aud never below SS" iu winter, aud then the fish ripened more
healthily, as they were iu their natural water. In the fall of 1893, however, there
was but'a small run of salmou, but the eggs hatched much better aud I turned out
about 1,700,000 young fry. The season of 1894-95 we had a better run aud turned
out 1,. 500,000 iu one hatchery lake and 1,000,000 in the barren lake before mentioned.
The present winter of 1895-96 we will turn out 4,000,000 or over, haviug had a much
larger run than usual, which we will distribute between our hatchery lake and two
other barren lakes. These three barren lakes are situated, respectively, 3, 6, and 9
miles from our hatchery, and entails a good deal of labor and expense cutting trails
and carrying the young fish iu buckets to their nursery. There are a few cohoes
{Oncorhynchu^ kisutch) that frequent our stream, but never more than 400. As they
are a good fish, although uot as valuable as the sukkesh, we also pass them over the
dam and strip them. Their time of running is about six weeks later than the sukkesh.

Owing to thesmallnessof our hatchery stream, we have oj»portunities of observing
the habits of the salmon with greater accuracy than on large streams. From close
observation made for a number of years, I am of the opinion that no salmon return
to the sea after ascending for propagating purposes, unless their natural habits of
copulating are interferred with. I am, however, of the opinion that some of the
males will return if they are kept from the spawuiug beds and from performing the

H. Doc- 92, pt. 2 29

450 ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

fauctions of nature for wMch they ascend; that is to aay, if left to their natural
state they Avill all die. And the females will all die anyway. But the males, if
they do not connect with a spawning bed, their milt in some cases does not liquify,
but remains solid, and some of them will return to the sea. But had they not been
barred from the spawning beds their milt would liquify and they would all die.

Wo have discovered what seems to us to be anew variety of sea trout, quite similar
to the rainbow, with the addition of a gristly hook, or turning up of the lower jaw,
and litting into a recess in the end of the upper jaw, completely covering the end
of the snout and fitting in the recess so neatly that it will not be observed unless
the jaws are open. I can find no description of a similar trout in the treatise sent me
in June, 1894, by the Fish Commissioner, Hon. Marshall McDonald, which gave a full
description of ail the different species of trout. We have no alcohol or would have
preserved a specimen.

According to the rule generally accepted by scientific men, the salmon will return
four years from the time their parents enter the stream for spawning purposes, which
will bring my first salmon back the coming summer, when I will be able to give
you a more definite account of my venture.

I think, in cases like my own, where hitherto Avorthless streams are built up and
made to produce large quantities of valuable fish that will assemble in the bays or
inlets at the mouths of the streams, where they have been bred, that hitherto pro-
duced none, so to speak, a law of Congress should be passed giving property rights
to the producer for all fish in excess of the natural product of the stream. It is hehl
by legal men that I have consulted on the subject that I will have a property right
in such fish, but it would be far better if such rights were reenforced by an act of
Congress.

I have kept a careful account of all the sukkesh and cohoes that we passed over the
dam from day to day, so that I can tell exactly the number of fish that the stream
normally jiroduced.

Hoifiug I may have the pleasure of meeting you on your return,
I remain, yours, truly,

John C. Callbreatii.

Hon. Joseph Murray,

Special Agent for the Protection of Salmon Fisheries in Alaska.

P. S. — I will be at Fort Wrangell during February, and should be pleased to hear
from you.

J. C. C.

Now, liere is a man who, tliougli not "wealthy, has spent money and
many years' valuable time making experiments in one of the most useful
and honorable of the arts — the production of human food.

Such men deserve a patient hearing and every possible encourage-
ment, and in the hope of his getting both I respectfully recommend
his very timely and practical letter to the serious consideration of the
Department.

Exhibit D gives the names of the canneries and packing stations,
Exhibit E shows the sailing distances one must travel from cannery to
cannery in order to see all of them, and shows conclusively^ I think,
that in order to see all of them in one season it will be necessary to detail
a revenue cutter to carry the agent.

A revenue cutter could make the trip between June 1 and July 20,
completing the journey at the canneries in Bering Sea in ample time to
report for patrol duty in August.

Exhibit G gives a summary of the Alaskan and Pacific Coast salmon
pack from 1866 to- 1895, both inclusive, showing at a glance that the
Alaskan streams were drawn upon to their utmost capacity in 1891,
when 789,294 cases of 48 pounds each were packed, with the result of a
falling oft" of 40 per cent the following year.

The wisdom of protecting an industry that has yielded in the thirteen
years of its existence 5,505,002 cases of salmon, worth $22,000,000,
should not be lightly questioned or set aside, and when it is remembered
that, excepting the civilized Indians with Mr. Duncan at Metlakahtla,
there is not a resident cannery owner in Alaska, and that not one dollar
of all the millions taken from her streams is left or spent in the Terri-
tory, it will be conceded, I think, by all fair-minded men that the least

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 451

the General Goveinmeut can do is to protect the fish against extermi-
nation, and the native, dependent solely npon a salmon diet, in his right
to an abundant supply of salmon for food. These two things are easy
of accomplishment if immediate steps are taken, but if neglected much
longer the task will be a most difticult one.

In order to protect the salmon streams the laws nuist be enforced,
and it is, unfortunately, only too true that up to date there has not
been a united attempt made to enforce them.

The LTnited States commissioner at Fort Wrangell — one of the few
fearless ones who only know their duty — wrote me a full account of how
the law is disregarded, evaded, and not enforced by ofticers whose duty
it is to uphold the law at all hazards. The letter covers a wide field,
and is quite plain and outspoken, using men's real names, the printing
of which in my report is not now considered necessary; I will therefore
suppress names and quote only a few passages relating to salmon
matters.

Case after case has been compromised at the instance of attorneys for their clients
in criminal cases. Take one example: In July, 1893, Mr. J. G. Brady, who was then
acting United States attorney in the absence of Mr. Johnson, entertained a com-
plaint of the natives against cannery men for obstructing salmon streams. Mr. Brady
prevailed upon Commander Burwell, of the U. S. S. Pinta, to convey him and other
necessary ofticers to Klawak and Loriug. * * ^ They came via Fort Wrangell and
rocjuested me to accompany them. The Pinta reached Loring in the night, and we
found the river "fenced" from shore to shore, and about 4 tons of salmon in the traps
and nets. We caused the arrest of Mr. Heckman, the superintendent of the cannery,
and placed him under bond of $3,000, requiring him to appear before the United
States district court at its next session.

The law, as you are aware, imposes a fine of $250 for every day a stream is
obstructed. * * * Court did not convene until after the retirement of the dis-
trict attorney, Mr. , and the appointment of his successor, Mr. , who

agreed to accept the nominal fine of $100. " * * Superintendent Wadleigh, of
the Klawak cannery, was also placed under bonds, and although two terms of court

have since been held he has not been required to appear. The is lending a

hand in helping to whitewash his case. * * *

These two cases, including the trip of the Pinta, have cost the Government more
than $1,000.

The ofticers who placed the men under bonds have been humiliated, while the vio-
lators of the law, aided by ofticials disloyal to the Government, have won a great
victory. * * *

I could cite many cases in which otficial positions are used to shield crime and
defeat the ends of justice.

Your obedient servant, Wm. A. Kelly, Commissioner.

' Were it necessary to add to or confirm the commissioner's words, I
would say that while at Loring i-n 1894 Hon. C. S. Hamlin, Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury, accompanied by Capt. C. L. Hooper, com-
manding the revenue cutter Rush, attempted to go up the river in a
small boat, but soon found themselves barred out by the identical
"fence" mentioned in the commissioner's letter.

The Wadleigh case referred to was called in court at Juneau last
May, and in my presence his attorney arose and said: Mr. Wadleigh
had written and offered to \)ay as much as it would cost him to travel
back and forth on the steamer from Klawak to Juneau, some $40, on
condition that the Government dropped the complaint.

i^ow, here is a case where the man was taken red handed in the act —
he does not attempt denial — and yet, although it happened in 1893, he
has not been brought to trial, but instead of answering the summons
of the court he impudently writes back his ultimatum, which was seri-
ously considered by the district attorney, who would have accepted it
had I not been present and strongly protested against the whole farce.

In justice to the present district attorney for Alaska, I will say all
these things happened prior to his appointment.

452

ALASKA INDUSTRIE.S.

CONCLUSION.

Enough lias been said I think to show the necessity of some radical
changes in Alaska, the first of which should be the enforcement of the
law.

I therefore most respectfully recommend the following:

First. The repeal of the present prohibitory liquor law and the sub-
stitution of high license.

Second. That a revenue cutter and three armed steam launches be
permanently located in Alaskan waters.

Third. That the custom-house on Mary Island be discontinued and
removed to a more desirable, because more useful, location in the
Tongas Narrows.

Fourth. That Alaska be divided into at least two judicial districts,
with one judge at Sitka and one at Circle City, on the Yukon.

Fifth. That three additional commissioners be appointed, one at Unga,
one at St. Michaels, and one at Circle City.

Sixth. That a deputy collector (if not a custom-house) be located at
Unga.

Seventh. That a marine hospital be erected at Unalaska. (Either of
the trading companies will erect and furnish a building if the Depart-
ment will furnish medicines and a physician.)

Eighth. That Alaska be allowed a Delegate to Congress.

There are many important matters that I have not referred to in this
report, such, for instance, as the condition of the native tribes on the
Aleutian Islands and in southeastern Alaska; schools and post-offices
on the Yukon River and in the great interior — all of which will be dealt
with ill a future report.

The proposed changes are really necessary to the present and future
welfare of Alaska, and, because of the rapidly increasing white popu-
lation Hocking to the rich gold diggings, it is absolutely necessary that
the law should be rigidly enforced. The wealth of Alaska in furs,
fish, and gold, if properly protected by the Government, will be of
immense value, which may be made to increase annually, but which, if
neglected by the Government and left to the present system of no law
at all, or what is far worse, lawlessness, will soon end in disgrace and
disaster.

Very respectfully submitted. Joseph Murray,

Special Agent for the Protevtion of iSalmon Fisheries in Alaska.

Hon. John G. Carlisle,

Secretary of the Treasury.

Exhibit A.

Number of seals on St. Paul and St. George islands, season of 1S95.

ST. PAUL ISLAND.

Kookerv-

Northeast Pomt.
Halfway Point...

Lakanrion

Katavie

Keef

Lajroon

Tolstoi

Middle Hill

English Bay

Zapadnie

Total,.

Bulls with
harems.

1,725
350
300
200

1,000

50

400

Cows.

100
500

Bach-
elors.

69, 000
14, 000
12, 000

8,000
40, 000

2,000
16, 000

4,000
20, 000

9,000
2,000
1,000
300
5,000
50

1,500

800

3,500

4, 625 185, 000 i 23, 150

Idle
bulls.

1,000

200

200

50

500

250

100
300

Total.

80, 725
16, 550
13, 500

8,550
46, 500

2,100
16, 650

1,500

5,000
24, 300

2, 600 215, 376

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

4.""

.').)

ynmher of seal tj on .s7. Paul and SI. (Jeoiijc i-shnidx, stdsun of ls9-'i — C'onlimied.

ST. GBOTtGE I.'^LANI).

Rookery.

Bulls with
harems.

60

100

80

25

110

Com s.

2,400
4,000
3,200
1.000
4, 400

Bach- '

elor.s. J

300
500

3,000
50

3, 000

Idle
bulls.

40
50
40
20
50

Total. 1

Sf flrrv A rf.AAl

2,800

Nort^

4,650

East

6,320

T.ittlf^ F.fiflf

1,095

7, 560

Total

375

15, 000

6,850

200

22, 425

botl

islands

Total on

5,000

200, 000

30, 000

2,800

I

237,800

Exhibit B.
Liquors cleared from Fuyei Sound for Alaska, .fanuary 1. lS94,1o if arch tn, 1895.

Date. -^^s i Kinds and quantities. Con.signee. Name of vessel. Date cleared.

.)an. 6,1894
Dec. 22,1893
Do

Do.

Dec. 21,1893

Jan. 5, 1894
Dec. 6, 1893

Jan. 2,1894

Dec. 22,1893

Do

Dec. 0, 1893

Feb. 7, 1894

Feb. 8, 1894

Feb. 7, 1894

Do

Jan. 20.1894

Jan.
Jnn.

16, 1894
22, 1894

51 I 1 barrel bottled beer

46 ! 1 barrel rye whisky

46 j 1 barrel Bourbon whis-
ky, 10 barrels beer.
44 1 IJ barrels California
brandy, IJ barrels
California claret, 5
barrels beer, 3 barrels
ale, 3 cases porter, 10
gallon.s sheriy, 10 gal-
Tons Irish whisky, 10
gallons Scotch wliis-
ky, 10 gallons gin, 10
gallonsrum, lease im-
ported brandy, 1 case
imported whisky, 2
cases champagne.

1 gallon port wine, 1
gallon brandy.

6 bottles (.;hina liquor. . .

1 case whisky, 1 case
wine, 1 case porter.

1 barrel beer

1 barrel porter

1 barrel whisky, li bar-
rels rum, IJ barrels
brandy, 1 barrel por-
ter, 1 barrel beer.

30 gallons claret wine ..
5 gallons whisky

2 barrels beer . .'

] barrel whisky, 5 bar-
rels beer, 2' barrels
porter, 2 barrels ale.
6 cases Irish whisky,
6 cases Hennes v bran-
dy-

1 barrel whisky, 1 bar-
rel brandy, 8 barrels
beer, 1 case chani-
pagne.2 barrels whis-
ky.
1 barrel gin, 5 gallons
.Jamaica rum, 2 gal-
lons Madeira wine,
12 gallons sherry
wine, 30 gallons clar-
et, 1 case brandy, 1
case champagne, 1
barrel ale, 1 barrel
porter, 5 gallons port
wine, 10 gallons whis-
ky, 5 cases whisky.

52 1 case wine

54 50 gallons whisky, 20
gallons brandy, 20
gallons port wine, 10
gallons alcohol. 50
gallons claret, 6 bai'-
1 rels beer, 2 cases gin.

Adolph Myer ! City of Topeka.

do I do

C.F. Fueber ' do

41

50
39

49
45

47

37
57
59

58

55

53

Williiini Nelson do

C. J. Kostroraehuoff do

Hung Sing Gee : do

Duncan McKimon do

W.C.Mills do

Chas.Giffey do

"Wm. Mulcahy do

C. S. Johnson do

Smebv Bros do

E.De'GrofF do

W. Mulcahy do

William Nelson do

E.DeGroft' do

Jan. 15,1894
Do.
Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Jan. 30,1894
Do.
Do.

Jan. 15,1894
Feb. 17,1894

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

W.P.MlUs : Mexico

J. C. Koosher i City of Topeka .

Feb. 27,1894
Mar. 14,1894

454

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Liquors cleared from Puget Sound for Alaska, etc. — Continued.

Date.

Feb. 23,1894

Feb. 24,1894
Mar. 9, 1894
Feb. 20,1894
Mar. 9, 1894

Do

Do

Do

Feb. 23,1894

Mar. 9, 1894
Apr. 4, 1894

Do

May 19,1894

Do

Per-
mit No.

Kinds aud (juantities.

, Do

' Do

June 4,1894
Do

May 9, 1894
June 13, 1894
June 18, 1894

June 28, 1894
May 19,1894
July 1, 1894

61

63
64

60
67
66
65
68

62

70
72
71
93
96

91

92

100

99

84
105
107

108

94

116

June 28, 1894

109

June 18, 1894

113

Aug. 3,1894

120

July 18,1894

114

Consignee.

Aug. 3,1894

119

Aug. 13, 1894

123

Aug. 13, 1894

124

Sept. 6, 1894

129

Aug. 13. 1894

122 ■

Sept. 6,1894

128

Oct. 4, 1894

139 1

Sept. 6,1894

130

Oct. 3, 1894

138

Sept. 25, 1894

132

Oct. 17,1894

142

Do

145

Sept. 25, 1894

135

Oct. 17,1894

144

Do

144

Dec. 19,1894

150

1
j

2 barrels bourbon ■whis-
ky, 10 gallons rum, 20
gallons brandy, 10
gallons port wine.

3 barrels bottled beer. . .

1 case wlii.sky

3 cases wine

1 case whisky

1 gallon rum

1 case ale, 1 case porter.

1 barrel whisky, IJ bar-
rels brandy, 3 cases
Irish wliisky, 6 bar-
rels beer.

10 gallons whisky, 1
case beer, 1 gallon
brandy, 2 cases wine.

15 gallons port wine

3 gallons wliisky

10 gallons alcohol

5 gallons alcohol

2 barrels whisky, 1 bar-

rel brandy, 2 cases gin,
20 gallons rum , 5 cases
whisky, 5 cases bran-
dy, 10 barrels beer, 10
cases porter, 10 cases
ale, 2 cases cham-
pagne, 1 barrel port
wine, 1 barrel sherry,
1 barrel claret, 1 bar-
rel alcohol.

1 barrel beer

do

3 barrels beer

1 barrel beer

4 barrels beer

1 dozen bottles brandy. .
15 barrels beer, 1 barrel

sherry wine, 1 barrel
whisky, 5 cases por-
ter, 1 barrel port wine,
5 cases ale, 5 cases
gin, 5 cases claret
wine.
10 barrels beer

2 cases whisky

20 barrels beer, 1 barrel

brandy, 1 barrel port
wine, 1 barrel sherry,
1 barrel claret, 3 cases
champagne, 5 cases
porter, 5 cases ale,
5 cases brandy.

10 gallons whisky

1 case whisky

10 barrels beer

1 case whiskj', 1 case
wine, 1 case porter.

1 case cognac, 10 cases
port wine, 10 cases
sherry. 10 cases whis-

ty.

1 ease ale, 1 case porter.

10 barrels beer

10 barrels beer

30 barrels wine

10 barrels whisky

10 barrels alcohol

10 barrels white wine, 1
barrel claret.

1 case whisky

1 barrel claret

1 case whisky

5 barrels beer

1 case whisky

30 gallons whisky

10 gallons rum . . .'

1 bottle brandy, U gal-
lons whisky, 1 gallon
port wine. "

"William Nelson.

E. DeGroff

Robert Reid ,

Mrs. R. 0. Rogers

H.F.Swift

W.M.Taylor

J. M. Davis

W. Mulcahy

Robert Duncan,, jr

Father Donskey.
Archy Campbell.

C. F.Feuher

F.D. Xowell

Max Endleman..

Mrs. Hammond.

F.Bach

E. De Groff

R. E.Rogers

E. De Groff

do

Max Endleman.

E. DeGroff

C. Spuher

Max Endlemen.

E. De Groff . . .
Karl Koehler.
B. DeGroff...
D. McKinnon.

E. DeGroff.

J.Mont. David.

E. DeGroff

do

R.C.Rogers

E. DeGroff

do

do

R. C. Rogers

Karl Koehler . . .

Robert Reid

Ed. DeGroff....

M. Healy

Ed. DeGroff...,

do

Dr. C. Theving. .

Name of vessel. Date cleared.

Cityof Topeka..

Mar. 14,1894

do ... Mar. 29,1894

do

do ..

do..

Chilkat .

do..

do ..

Do.
Do.
Do.

Apr. 7, 1894
Do.
Do.

Cityof Topeka..! Apr. 13,1894

do ' Apr. 28,1894

do May 14,1894

do

Rosalie

do

Do.

May 29,1894
Do.

....do

do

Cityof Topeka..

do

Queen

Cityof Topeka..
do

Do.

Do.
Juno 12,1894

Do.
June 22, 1894
June 29, 1894

Do.

Queen

do

City of Topeka

Queen ,

do

City of Topeka
do

Queen

City of Topeka.

...".do

do

Mexico

do

City of Topeka . ,
Mexico

do ..

do ..

do ..

do ..

do ..

Chilcat .

Mexico ,
do,.

July 8,1894

Do.
July 27,1894

Aug. 6,1894

Do.
Aug. 13, 1894

Do.

Aug. 21, 1894

Aug. 31, 1894

Do.
Sept. 19, 1894
Sept. 25, 1894

Do.
Oct. 11,1894
Oct. 25,1894

Do.
Do.
Do.

Nov. 10,1894

Do.
Nov. 21,1894
Nov. 26, 1894

Do.

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

455

Liquors cleared from Puyet Sound for Alaska, etc. — Continued.

Date.

Kov. 16, 1894

Per-
mit No.

147

Dec. 19,1894

151

Jan. 2, 1895

157

Do

157

May 4, 1894

82

Jan. 2, 1895

155

Do

162

Jan. 19,1895

159

Jan. 2. 1895

154

Dec. 19, 1894

152

Peb. 15.1895

170

Do

169

Jan. 21,1895

161

Jan. 19,1895

160

Kinds and quantities.

Consignee.

li dozen Kinimel, Ih
dozen Benedictine, l|
dozen absinth, l|
dozen kirsohwassei',
IJ dozen ani.sette, ij
dozen maraschino, 1 j
dozen Chartreuse, I
case gin, 1 case cliam-
pague, 1 barrel por-
ter, 1 barrel ah\

1 barrel bottled porter. .

5 barrels bottled beer. . .

12 bottles China liciuor.

5 gallons alcohol

12 bottles assorted liq-
uors.

10 barrels beer

6 dozen bottles porter.

1 barrel claret

5 gallons port wine

10 gallons whisky

5 gallons alcohol

1 dozen brandy

20 gallons claret

E. De Groff.

Wm. Mulcahy
E. De Groff- -". .

Sing Lee

E. Valentine . .
R. C. Rogers . .

Name of vessel.

Mexico

E. DeGrotr

C. E. Tibbits . . . .
C. S. Johnson . . .

Fred Hall

E.De Groff

do

do

George Kyrage.

Chilcat

Mexico

do

Chilkat

City of Topeka.

Date cleared.

Dec. 28,1894

.do .
-do ,
-do
-do
-do
.do
do
.do

Jan. 3,1895
Jan. 12,1895

Do.
Jan. 23,1895

Do.

Eeb. 7, 1895

Do.

Do.

Do.
Feb. 24,1895

Do.

Do.

Do.

The within permits are signed by Benjamin Moore, collector of customs, Sitka, Alaska.
Port Townsend, "Wash., March l, 1S95.

Exhibit C

Statisiics of Alaska salmon pack, season of 1895.

Name.

Bristol Bay Canning Co. .

Alaska Packing Co

Arctic Packing Co

Do

Thin Point Packing Co.,

Karluk Packing Co

Tanglefoot Bay Packing
Co.

Hume Packing Co

Arctic Packing Co

Arctic Fishing Co

ChignikBay Packing Co

Location.

Nushagak .

do

do

Naknek

Thin Point.

Karluk

do

do ...

Alitak . . .

Kusiloff

Chignik

Pacific Packing Co i Prince W illiams

I Sound.
Pyramid Harbor Pack- i Pyramid Harbor.

ing Co. 1

Glacier Packing Co Fort Wrangell...

Alaska Salmon Packing Loring

and Fur Co.
Point Roberts Packing

Co.
TJgasbik Fishing Station.

Koggiung . . .
Seliua River .

Egegak Fishing Station . Egegak .
Togiak Fishing Station . . , Togiak .

Number of men
employed.

^

63
65
61

47
28
84
35

84
31
62
89

95

80

41
30

34

49

12
12

44
46
48
21
20
48
21

52
18
48
31

39

62

71
80

10

22

a

95
98
95
70

142
65

142
52
77

110

63

77

55
70

Apparatus
used.

Total ' 1,002 ,681 ,1,211

Gill nets..
....do ...
....do ...

do ...

Seine

do...

do...

do....

do....

do ....

Gill nets

and seine.

do

Gill nets.

do...

Seine

Gill nets..

Gill nets

and seine.

Gill nets.

do ...

Number of salmon taken.

King.

4,544
8,823
5,106
1,047

25, 199

4,319
9,453
3,294

405

62, 190

Red.

Silver.

252,776 i 9,250
356,622 10,100
329,548 ! 8,700
269, 851
23, 453
589, 090
172, 049

603, 421
174, 568
324, 277
683,319

143, lOO

310, 759

133, 509
14, 733

143, 800

65, 219

54, 321

1,800

4,646,215

8,321

142, 937

7,023

154, 183
435, 368

775, 887

450

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Slatititiv)< of Alan ka salmon paH. nmsov o/ i<H'.9.7— (!oTitinued.

Is'ame.

Bristol Bay Canning Co..

Alaska Packing Co

Arctic Packing Co

Do

Thin Point Packing Co . .

Karluk Packing Co

Tanglefoot Bav Packiug
Co.

Hume Packing Co

Arctic Packing Co

Arctic Fishing Co

Chignik Bay Packing Co.

Pacific Packing Co . . .

Pyramid Harbor Pack-
ing Co.

f ilacier Packing Co

Alaska Salmon Packing
and Fur Co.

Point Eoberts Packing
Co.

Ugashik Fishing Station.

Egegak Fishing Station..

Togiak Fishing Station..

Cases.

Bar-

33,434 |,
34,632 .
33,631 ,
22,731

'48,' 379'!.
15,277 :

47,500 i

15,331

30,188

70,050

21,453

35,373

27, 416
32. 554

I Steam- 1

[ersem-l

ployed. I Nnm
; ber.

Total 473.949 i 7.455

366

65

Lighters and
"boats.

Nets.

1,045
395

3,142

1,354

1,048

40

26

42
44
43
23
10

28 '

48
23
40
24
43
31

17 I
11

12

13
3
2

504

11, OUO

18, 200

19, 000
45, 000
18, 000

14, 200
]:?. 100

ti, 200

•J, 500
600
400

278, 900

\'alu('.

Kum-
ber. !

$18, 000

80

13, 000

84

12, 500

83

15, 000

42

6,000

4

30, 000

15

15, 200

10

21, 000

15

Value.

-1

80
90
75
50

30
4

6
3
2

684

Sail
ton -
iiago
em-
ployed.

$4, 000
4, 200
4, 100
2.100
800
3,000
2,000

3.000

800
4, 000
4, 500
3,800
2,700

1,500
800

1,400

1.200
600

400

1,355

1,100

1,040

900

255

1,350
1,320
1, 520
1,340
1, 132

776

771

•IM

555
126
130

Value
(if tin
jilate.

$19, 360
19, 100
19, 600
13, 200

4.500 ' 66,200

9, 100
21, 600
42, 000
13, 200

21,000

16,200
19.200

44,900 18,404 I 279,760

Statistics of Alaska salmon pack . season of tS9'> — Continued.

Name.

Location.

Cases. ; Barrels.

C. li:. Whitney & Co

Prosper Fishing and Trading Co

L. A. Pederson

Bering Sea Packing Co ,

Norton, Teller & Co

Lynde & Hough

Alaska Improvement Co

C.D.Ladd

Pacific Steam AVhaling Co

Peninusular Fishing Co

Baranoff Packing Co

North Pacitic Fishing and Trading Co .

Boston Fishing and Trading Co

Metlakahtla Industrial Co

Miller & Co

Cape Fox Packing Co

Various ,

Yes Bay

Meltakatta

Cordova Bay

(^ape Fox

Sout heastern Alaska .

Total.

14, 253
12. 007

Nushagak

Kvichak

Naknek

TTgashik .-.

do

Shumagin islands

Karluk

Cooks Inlet I

Prince William Sound j 25, 037

Copper Kiver 1 15, 000

Baranoff Island \ 14, 805

Klawak 12,228

14, 100
12, 000

26. 000

145. 430

1,043

2,300

300

'226
75

350

104

1,800
1,200
2,000

9,392

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

457

F>XH1BIT D.

^(xlmo)t ^jacking aiations in Alaska.

Xo.

1
2

3
4
5
6

7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

16

17
18

19
20
21
22
23
24

25
26

27

Locality.

Cbilcat

Port Althorp

Killisnoo

Ked Fish Bay

Fort "Wrangell

Yes Bay

Lorins

Port Chester

Klawak

Cordovia Bay

Tolstoi Bay'

Port Ellis.'

Cape Fox

Copper River, Delta Peninsula
Eyak Village

Cook3 Inlet, Kussilo Eiver. .
West side of Cooks Inlet. . . .
Afognak (not in operation) .

Karluk Hirer

Alaska Improvement Co

R. D.Hume & Co

Alitak Bay

Ugak Bay' Eagle Harbor . . .

Chignik Bay

Pirate Cove, Popoff

Thin Point

Ugashil

.....do

do

do

Naknik River

do

Knichak River

Name of company.

Alaska Packing Association

Ford & Stokes

Herring Fishery

Baranotf Packing Co

Alaska Packing Association

Boston Fishing and Trading Co.

Alaska Packing Association

Metlakahtla Industrial Co

North Pacific Packing Co

Miller & Co

do

Kniu Island

Fish and Trading Co

Pacific Steam Whaling Co

Alaska Packing Association .

do

C.D.Ladd & Co ,

Alaska Packing Association .

Can- Salt-
nery. ery-

Her-
ring.

Nushagak

Fort Alexander.

Alaska Packing Association (nsed up)

Oliver Smith

Alaska Packing Association

McCoUum Trading Co !

Alaska Packing Association i

Bering Sea Packing Co ! 1

Alaska Packing Association i

Sullivan River Packing Co •. '

Johnson ;

Alaska Packing Association ] 1

Peterson j

Alaska Packing Association j

Prosper Fish and Trading Co

Alaska Packing Association | o

W hiteney Co '

Total

27

14

Exhibit E.

Sailing distances from Cape Fox to the different salmon canveries in Alaska.
[Figures in parentheses are map numbers.]

Miles.
(13) Cape Fox to (10) Cordovia

Bav 80

(13) Cape Fox to (8) Port Chester. 50

(10) Cordovia Bay to (9) Klawak. . 100
(8) Port Chester to (11) Tolstoi

Bay 60

(8) Port Chester to (7) Loring 60

(7) Loriiig to (6) Yes Bav 25

(11) Tolstoi Bay to (5) Fort Wran-
gell 100

(5) Fort Wrangell to (12) Port

Ellis 100

(9) Klawak to (4) Red Fish Bay. .. 150
(4) Red Fish Bay to (2) Port Al-
thorp 150

(2) Port Althorp to (3) Killisnoo. - 200

(3) Killisnoo to (1) Chilcat Inlet.. 200
(1) Chilcat Inlet to (14) Copper

RiverDelta 1,000

Miles.

(14) Copper River Delta to (15)
Eyak village 50

(15) Evak village to (17) Afognak. 500

(17) Afognak to (20) Ugak Bay,
Eagle Harbor 75

(20) Ugak Bay to (19) Alitak Bay. 100
(19) Alitak JBav to (18) Karluk

River 100

(18) Karluk River to (21) Chignik

Bay 300

(21) "Chignik Bay to (22) Pirate
Cove 1 200

(22) Pirate Cove to (23) Thin Point. 150

(23) Thin Point to (24) Ugashik. . . 500

(25) Naknik River to (26) Kvichak
River 25

(26) Kvichak River to (27) Nnsha-

gak 100

Total 4, 375

458

ALASKA INDUSTRIES.

Exhibit F.

Summary of salmon pack, 1S95.

Cases.

Columbia River 617, 460

Alaska 619, 379

British Columbia 512, 877

Outsiderivers 290, 300

Total 2, 040, 016

Cases.

Columbia River 617, 460

Alaska (16 locations) 619, 379

British Columbia:

Eraser River 347, 674

Skeeua River QQ, 983

Lowe Inlet 8,500

Nass River 19, OOO

Rivers Inlet 61, 720

Alert Bay 5, .500

Clayoquot 3, 500

512, 877

Outside rivers and bays:

Nehalem River 6, 300

Sinslaw River 8, 552

Coquille River 9, 468

Umpque River 10, 300

Tillamook River 5, 000

Alsea Bay 5, 000

Coos Bay 10,380

Pnget Sound (4 locations) 157, OOO

Grays Harbor 18, OOO

Shoalwater Bay 16, OOO

Rogue River 14, 000

Sacramento rivers 24, 000

California rivers 6, 300

290, 300

2, 040, 016

Exhibit G.
Alaskan and Pacific Coast salmon pack, fj-om 1S66 to 1895, both inclusive.

Tear.

ColumMa
River.

Outside

rivers and

bays.

British
Columbia.

Alaska.

Total.

Ig66

4,000
18, 000
28, 000
100, 000
150, 000
200, 000
250, 000
250, 000
350, 000
375, 000
450, 000
460, 000
460, 000
480, 000
630, 000
551, 000
541, 300
629, 400
656, 179
524, 530
454, 943
373, 800
367, 750
325, 500
433, 500
390, 183
481, 900
425, 200
511, 000
617, 460

4,000

1867

18, 000

1868

28, 000

1869

100, 000

1870

150, 000

1871

200, 000

1872

250, 000

1873

250, 000

1874

2,500

3, 000

33, 900

46, 300

66, 500

61, 000

«8, 200

229, 700

249, 300

198, 000

122, 800

100,250

170,400

231, 900

212, 000

265, 734

102, 123

82, 447

160, 800

209, 496

214, 896

290, 300

352, 500

1875 - - -

378, 000

1876

9,847
67, 387
113, 601
57, 394
61, 300
175, 675
255, 061
243, 000
138, 945
106, 865
163, 004
201, 990
135, 600
414, 400
409, 464
314, 813
221, 797
590, 229
494, 470
512, 877

493, 747

1877

573, 687

1878

640, 101

1879

598, 394

1880

779, 500

1881

956, 375

1882

1, 045, 661

1883

36, 000
54, 000
74, 850
120, 700
190, 200
427, 372
709, 347
68B, 332
789, 294
461, 482
645, 545
678, 501
619, 379

1, 106, 400

1884

971, 924

1885

806, 495

1886

909, 047

1887

997, 890

1888 .

1, 142, 722

1889

1, 714, 981

1890

1,633,419

1891

1, 576, 737

1892

1, 325, 979

1893

1, 870, 470

1894

1, 898, 867

1895

2,040,016

ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 459

Exhibit H.

A BILL to amend an act entitled "An act to pro\ide for the protection of the salmon fisheries of

Alaska."

Be it enacted ly the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That the act approved March second, eighteen hundred and
eighty-nine, entitled "An act to provide for the protection of the salmon tisheries of
Alaska," is hereby amended and reenacted, as follows:

Section 1. That the erection of dams, barricades, fish wheels, fences, traps, pound
nets, or any fixed or stationary obstructions in any part of the rivers or streams of
Alaska, or to fish for or catch salmon or salmon trout, in any manner or by any means,
with the purpose or result of preventing or impeding the ascent of salmon or salmon
trout to their spawning ground, is declared to be unlawful, and the Secretary of the
Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to remove such obstructions and to estab-
lish and enforce such regulations and surveillance as may be necessary to insure that
this prohibition and all other provisions of law relating to the salmon fisheries of
Alaska are strictly complied with.

Sec. 2. That it shall be unlawful to fish, catch, or kill any salmon or salmon trout
of any variety, except with rod or spear, above the tide waters of any of the creeks
or rivers of less than five hundred feet wide in the Territory of Alaska, or to lay or
set any drift net, set net, or seine for any purpose, across the tide waters of any river
or stream for a distance of more than one-third of the width of such river, stream,
or channel, or lay or set any seine or net within one hundred yards of any other net
or seine which is being laid or set in said stream or channel, or to take, kill, or fish
for salmon in any manner or by any means in any of the waters of the Territory of
Alaska, either in the streams or tide waters, from noon on Saturday of each week
until six o'clock post meridian of the Sunday following, or to fish for, or catch, or kill in
any manner, or by any appliances, except by rod or spear, any salmon or salmon trout
in any stream of less than one hundred yards in width in the said Territory of Alaska
between the hours of six o'clock in the morning and six o'clock in the evening of the
same day of each and every day of the week.

Sec. 3. That the Secretary of the Treasury may, at his discretion, set aside certain
streams as spawning grounds, in which no fishing will be permitted; and when, in
his Judgment, the results of fishing operations on any stream indicate that the
number of salmon taken is larger than the capacity of the stream to produce, he is
authorized to establish weekly close seasons, to limit the duration of the fishing
season", or to prohibit fishing entirely for one year or more, so as to permit the
salmon to increase.

Skc. 4. That to enforce the provisions of law herein, and such regulations as the
Secretary of the Treasury may establish in pursuance thereof, he is authorized and
directed to appoint one inspector of fisheries at a salary of ten dollars per day,
and two assistant inspectors at a salary of eight dollars each per day, and he will
annually submit to Congress estiinates to cover the salaries and actual traveling
expenses of the officers hereby authorized and for such other expenditures as may be
necessary to carry out the provisions of the law herein.

Sec. 5. That any person violating the provisions of this act, or the regulations
established in pursuance thereof, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a
fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or imprisonment at hard labor for a term of
ninety days, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court:
And provided further, That in case of the violation of any of the provisions of sec-
tion one of this act, and conviction thereof, a further fine of two hundred and fifty
dollars per diem will be imposed for each day that the obstruction or obstructions
therein are maintained after notice to remove the same. Said notice may be given
by any Government of36icer or private citizen.

APPEI^DIX.

Murray, 1894: Page 11.

That no dead pups Aveie fouud upon the rookeries in 1894 in the early-
part of August was due, not to their absence, but to the fact that no
close inspection was made. It is impossible without actually going on
the breeding grounds and driving oflt' the living cows and pups to get
an idea of the number of dead pups. Such an inspection was not made
in 1894 nor in any year prior to 189G; consequently the facts regarding
the phenomenon of dead pups were never known until that time. The
dead pups seen on Tolstoi Rookery in 1891 and 1892 belonged, in the
latter year wholly and in the former partly, to this early mortality,
which occurs before pelagic sealing begins. What has heretofore been
said regarding this estimate of starved pups in connection with the
reports of Messrs. Hamlin and Crowley applies here also. In the quota-
tion here ascribed to Mr. Crowley appears the statement that in the
count of dead pups an effort was made to distinguish the recently dead
from those long dead. If this is true, it vv^ould increase the value of
the figures as a measure of starvation; but this statement does not
occur in Mr. Crowley's report, and in any event, granting that the
figures included only starved pups, they still fall short of the facts.

Murray, 1894: Page 15.

The several estimates by Mr. Elliott and others here quoted or men-
tioned will be discussed in connection with the reports from which they
are taken, which appear in later volumes of this series.

Mr. Murray's estimate for 1891, here given in detail for St. Paul
Island, represents a broad and general personal impression rather than
an accurate enumeration, as undoubtedly does also that for 1894, the
details of which are not given. The elements of weakness in these esti-
mates lie in the assumed average size of harem and in the arbitrary
doubling of the number of bulls seen in order to account for others
supposed to exist but not seen. The size of harem assumed (40) is
more than double that of the average number of aninuils ever seen at
one time in a harem (17) and is one-fourth larger than the actual num-
ber (30) of cows, including absent ones, which the investigations of
1896-97 show to belong to the average harem. These figures therefore
must be taken with a good deal of allowance and can be held only to
represent in a very general way the relative condition of the herd. It
may be noted that no higher accuracy was claimed by Mr. Murray for
these and subsequent estimates made by him.

Murray, 1894: Page 23.

The discussion of dead pups on this and subsequent pages of this
report has but little value, because built on the assumption tliat all had
died of starvation. This was the common belief until the investigations
of 1896 were made. The fact that a large natural mortality, due to

461

462 APPENDIX.

totally different causes, occurs prior to August 10, and lias probably
occurred for centuries, must be kept constantly in mind in reading all
early discussions of dead pups.

Murray, 1894: Page 27.

The figures for tlie pelagic catch here given include also the seals
taken on the Asiatic side, a fact which is not made clear.

Murra)', 1895: Page 452.

This detailed estimate of seals for 1895 is doubtless the most elabo-
rate and accurate which Mr. Murray has made. It, however, contains
manifest inconsistencies, as for example, Lagoon Rookery is estimated
at 50 harems and 2,000 cows. This rookery was counted in the same
season both by Mr. True and by Mr. Townsend. The latter found 80
harems and 1,21(5 cows, the former 82 harems and 1,264 cows. Again,
on Kitovi Eookery 200 harems and 8,000 cows are found, whereas Messrs.
True and Townsend in the same season found 145 harems and 2,640
cows. Moreover, the figures themselves show that no account is taken
of numbers less than 50 in the enumeration of harems. But the most
serious defect in the enumeration arises from the date at which it was
made. Mr. Murray assumed that the rookeries were at their height by
the 20th of July and, beginning his enumeration at this time, completed
it on August 14. Our investigations for the past two seasons show that
the height of rookery development falls about the 15th of July; that
by the 20th the harems are beginning to break up, and that the mating
season for adult seals is ^practically over by August 1. Counts and
observations made after the 20th of July give no true idea of condi-
tions in the height of the season, and those made during the first half
of August show wholly different conditions. Then the-original harems
are broken ui3. The regular bulls are gone, and their places are tilled
with young and idle bulls controlling transient harems of virgin cows.
This enumeration of the seals, therefore, has only the value of a per-
sonal estimate made at an unfavorable time and under a misapprehen-
sion of the facts of rookery development.

We may h6re contrast the various estimates offered for the season of
1895, and express our regret that such variant and contradictory
results should be reached and published by duly accredited agents of
the Government:

Agent. Harems. Cows.

True 4,402 70,423

Crowlpy 5,552 99,936

Murray 5,000 200,000

It may, however, be observed that all this work was conscientiously
and intelligently done. The trouble lay in the methods employed. It
is a curious fact that the estimate most carefully and accurately worked
out is farthest from the truth. This resulted chiefly from the vitiating
assumption that practically all the cows were present on the rookeries
at the height of the season.

Correspondence : Page 357.

The estimates of starved pups here given include also pups which
died of natural causes prior to the beginning of pelagic sealing. Eef-
erence should be made to notes upon this subject aj)pended to the
reports of Messrs. Hamlin, Crowley, and Murray, where the subject is
discussed at length.

IISTDEX.

/ -

Page.

Adee, Alvey A., Aeaistaut Secretary of 8t:ite. correspondeuce rolatiu.i^ to

pelagic sealing 339, 345

Afognac, island of iOO

Agents, sjiecial, reports of:

Luttrell, Paul 8 397

Murray, Joseph 3, 404, 436

Praclit; Mas - 385

Alaska :

Canneries, location of J^19, 421

Canners, letter to ^13

Codfish industry of 396

Deer, destruction of I'll

Foxes, destruction of 442

Fur seals of 443

Game-fowl eggs, alleged destruction of 440

Government, recommendatioi3s for 452

Herring tisheries of 396

Liquor selling 438

Lifjuors cleared for 453

Naknek Kiver, conditions on 432

Natives, customs of 398, 399

Natives, habits of 398

Natives not allowed to fish for salmon 409

Natives, occupations of 398

Outlaws 442

Salmon fisheries 445

Salmon fisheries, extracts from report by Marshall McDonald on 424

Salmon tisheries, protection of _ 391

Salmon fisheries, reports on 385-459

Saiiiion fisheries, suggested laws t.) protect 403, 411, 412, 459

Salmon pack, statistics 393, 455, 458

Salmon packing stations 423, 457

Sea otter 442

Smuggling 438

Alaska Commercial Company :

Seals taken for all purnoses by .,,,.. 258-274

Seals taken for skins b>, 1870-1889 72

Alaska Improvement Company, protection of salmon fisheries 414

Alexander, A. B., cruise of the Louis Olsen 152

Aliens :

Salmon fisheries can not be held by 395

Salmon streams held by 388

Angel Dolly, seizure of 100, 202

Arbitration, Paris Tribunal of 280

American position 281

Award of 286

British position ^"^2

Decision of 282

Declarations of, referred to Governments of United States and Great

Britain -_ 293

Extracts from arguuient of American counsel on pelagic sealing 75

Phelps, E. J., argument of 303

Regulations of 283, 289

463

q

484 INDEX.

Page.

Area, Paris award, number of skins taken within, l«9()-l!S94 321

Bachelor seals, or hoUuschickie 123, 309

Barling, II. J., protection of salmon fisheries 410,414

Barricades and obstructions, salmon fishing 385

Batcheller, George S., Acting Secretary of the Treasury, instructions 426

Bayard, T. F., ambassador, corresijondence relating to pelagic sealing 335

Bean, T. H., ichthyologist, report 426

Beatrice, seizure of 380, 381

Berg, Carlos, preservation of seal life 43

Bering Sea :

Cruise of the Louis Olsen in 152

Pelagic sealing in, correspondence 315-382

Black Diamoud, seizure of 299

Blanchard, Kaphael, preservation of seal life 46

Bradford, W. B., protection of salmon fisheries 413

Brice, J. J., Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, correspondence 369

British Bering Sea commissioners:

Instructions to 66

International action suggested by 64

Methods of giving eft'ect to suggested regulations Cc

Methods of regulation, alternative, suggested 63

Regulations for protection recommended 62

Suggestions of, favor the pelagic sealer 65

British vessels seized, list of , 292

Bund's law relating to salmon fisheries, England and Wales 430

Callbreath, .lohn C, letter to special agent 448

Candle-fish (eulachon) -. . - 390

Canneries, salmon:

Distances from Cape Fox to 423, 457

Karluk River 405

Location of 393,419,421

Names of 393,419,421

Tin used in, cost of 423

Cape Kox, sailing distances from canneries 423, 457

Carlisle, J. G., Secretary of the Treasury:

Correspondence relating to pelagic sealing 31.5-336, 351, 354

Instructions 436

Caroline, sealing vessel 202

Catch of pelagic sealers, 1868-1894 27

Challenge, sealing vessel 202

Characteristics of seal pups 122

Characteristics of seals 6, 39, 276

Clark, George Archibald 461

Climatic conditions of islands 4, 88, 120

Codfish industry of Alaska, statistics 396

Collett, Robert, preservation of seal life 44

Commander Islands, seal life on 36

Commission, joint, suggested = 67

Companies, canning, names of ., 393, 419, 421

Correspondence of Departments on pelagic sealing 315-382

Costigan, .John, correspondence relating to pelagic scaling 340, 361

Counsel, American, remarks of, regarding mauageuient of seal islands 67

Cruise of the Louis Olsen iu Bering Sea 152

Curtis, W. E., Acting Secretary of the Treasury, correspondence relating to

pelagic sealing - 348

Customs of natives <^98, 399

Death of pups, starvation cause of 11, 34, 83

Decrease of herds, cause of 11, 16, 300

Deer, destruction of 441

Depositions:

Abbev,C.A 206,239

Ackei-ly, J. C. S 118

Adams, George R 174,207,219

Adair, C 206,216,219,247

Akatoo 239,247

Alexander, A. B 152,174,216,239

Alexandroft", J 233

Allen, J. A 174,214

Allis.W. C _ 181

American ( ^omuiissioucis 173, 181, 19i), 231

INDEX. 465

Depusitious — Coutiuued . i'ago-

Audersou, A 223, 226

Anderson, C. H 181

Anderson, C. F 226

Anderson, Peter 204

Andricins, H 204, 239

Apokchee, N 233

Ariiistrong, James 174

Armstrong, John 180, 181

Artomauoif, Kerrick 101, 175, 182

Avery, Charles 216, 239, 247

Ayoukee, Adam 207, 233, 239, 247

Baden-Powell, Sir George... 165

Ball, George. T 224, 226, 247

Barnes, M 83

Barouovitth, J 182. 216, 239, 247

Bates, Maurice 207,233,239

Behlow, Charles J 200

Bciidt, William 219

Bennett, W. C 207. 224, 233, 240

Benson, E 207,224,233,240

Benson, M 202, 207, 219, 240, 247

Bevington, H. S 138, 141

Bliedner, Bernhardt 204, 240, 247

Bonde, Neils 166,207,219

Bowa-chup 214, 233, 247

Bradley, J. A 204, 226, 240

Bradley, T 220, 240. 247

Brenuan, AVilliam 227^ 240

Brown, Henry *. 202, 240,247

Brown, Peter 214, 216, 220, 233, 239, 240

Brown, Thomas 204, 207, 247

Bryant, Charles 192

Buterin, K 172, 176

Buvuitsky, S. N 192

Callapa, 1. 240, 247

Campbell, Charles 216, 220, 240

Canetak, I 233

Cautwell, J. C 183, 217

Carthcut, J. L 202, 227

Cathcut, Captain 172

Challall, Charles 207, 220, 247

Charlie 233, 248

Chichinoff, Y 234, 240

Chin-koo-tin, S 203, 234, 240

Christiansen, J 207, 240, 248

Church, Peter 203, 207. 227, 241, 248

Circus Jim 234,248

Claplauhoo, James 214, 234, 241

Clark, II. N 183, 195

Clark, William 207, 234, 248

Clausen, C 166, 172, 248

Clausscn, T) 224, 227

Clement, John C 207, 227, 241

Cohen, M 204, 207, 241

Collins. P 204, 227, 241, 248

Coulson, W. C 107, 171, 183. 21G

Cox, Leauder 183, 192, 204, 224, 227

Culler, Louis 208, 220

Dahtlin, Charles 216, 241^ 248

Dalgarduo, James 204, 216, 248

Dalton, J 220, 248

Dardean, A 167, 215, 241, 248

Davis, Frank 215, 220, 248

Davis, Jeff 234

Dennis, J 249

Dick, Hooniali 217

Dishow, George 172, 241, 249

Dohrn, John 208

Dolan, Richard 208. 249

H. Doc. 93, pt. 2 30

466 INDEX.

Depositions — Continued. Page.

Douglass, J. II 176, 184. 202, 203, 220

Duffy, P 195, 220, 241

Duncan, William 216, 227, 249

EcLon 241

Ellabusli 215, 234

Elliott, H.W 120

Ersldne, M. C 184, 205, 224, 227, 241

Eshon 234

Fairchild, George 173, 208, 249

Falconer, S 192,195

Feeny, F. F 205, 224, 227, 241, 249

Feodor, \ 234

Fogel, George 216, 224, 227

Foster, William 227

Fowler, C. L 176, 184

Frank 208,234

Frank, Chief 216,234,241,249

Frank, Luke 224, 235, 241, 249

Franklin, L.T 224,228,249

Eraser, A 138,144,149

Fratis, John 184, 196

Frazer, Thomas 224,228,241

Frazer, William 208,241

Funcke,Ed.W 208,224,228,249

Fyfe,John ' 220,224

George, Chad 216,235,241,249

Gihson, C 235

Gibson, Charles 235, 241

Gibson, Thomas 205,220,249

Gliddon, H. A 181, 196

GoftU'.J 97,176,185

Gouastut 205,235,242

Gondowen, James 205,235,242,249

Gould, A. J 228,242

Grady, George 224

Greenleaf, E. M 166,208,216,250

Gregoroff,N 235,242

Griffin, A 166,250

Griffin, J 242

Griffith, W.P 216,224

Grymes, James 205

Grymes, Joseph 196, 250

Gu'ild, A.J 250

Gunther's Sons 131

Hague, C.J 186,228

IIaldane,H 208,225,235,242

Hannon,M 208,242,250

Hanssou, A - 186

Hannsen,H 208,228,250

Harrison, J 167,205,242

Havikiihtla, S 250

Hays, J. M 228,250

Hayward,J 167,228

Healy,M.A 171,176,205,220,242

Heilbronuer. M 196, 197

Ilenri(iues, J. A 232

Henson, William 225,250

Hertz, E 138

Hereford, W. S 176,186,232

Hermann, W 242

Hodgson, N 173,221,242,250

Hoffman, A. J 209,228,250

Hofstad.E 203,228,250

Hagman,C.H 22-5,250

Holm,0 209,242

Hooper, C.L 84,129,169

Hotham, Hear -Admiral 165

H u gh e s , E 186

Irving, Alfred 209,217,221,235,251

INDEX. 467

Depositions — Continued. Page.

Isaac, \y illiaui 225

Isaacman, Gustave 225

Isaacson, G 228, 251

Ishka 235

Jacobson, V 168, 251

Jamieson, J 209,251

Johnson, Frank 228

.lohnson, J 167,209,251

Johnson, Jack 235, 242, 251

Johnson, Selwish 215,217,242

Johntiu,J 209,235,242,251

Kahiliday.P 235

Kahiktday, P 203,209,251

Kashevaroff,P 235,243,251

KashAva 209, 236, 243

Kasooh.J 209,236,251

Kean, James 221, 251

Kcnmdy, James 209,221,252

Kathnsduck,M 209,236,252

Kieruan,J 170,205,209,221,225,229,252

King-Hall, F. R 210, 221, 229, 243

Kinkooga 236,243

Klananeck,C 217,236,243

Klonacket, James 205, 236

Kohooioff, S 235

Kooko, R 210,236,243

Kotchootteu, J 187

Kowiueet, J 203, 236, 243, 252

Kiel)s, C. F. E 193

Krukoff, N 187,197

Kushen, A 176,187,197,232

Kvam, Olaf 252

Lacheek, G 203,236,243,252

Laoheek, J 210

Laf kiu, James 217

Laflin, James 252

Laing, A 221

Lampson »&. Co 140

L a ven d er , A . W 202

Lawson, E. L 243

Lawson, E.N 221

Lenaid, L. M 197

Lennan, J. E 210, 221, 229, 243, 252

Liebes, G 203,205

Liebes, H 133,232

Liebes, I 133,176,205,243

Liebes, S 133

Lighthouse, J 215, 236, 252

Lindahl , C 229, 243, 252

Littlejohn, E. AV 229,243,252

Long,' W. H 203, 210, 229, 243, 252

Loud, A. P 99,177,187,197,202,205,221

Lowe, Thomas 2.36,252

Lutjens, Charles 210,229,252

McAlpiue, G 210, 244, 253

McClennen, Charles E 133

McDonald, J. D 210,229,244,253

Mclutyre, II. H 85, 177, 187, 188, 194, 197, 232

Mclnt'vre, H. W 177

Mclsaac, William 210, 229, 244, 253

McKeen, James 210,229,244

McLane, D 170

McLaughlin, William 211, 229, 253

McLean, A 221,225,230

McLean, D . . . .V. 211, 230, 253

McManus, R. H 168

Madden, Thomas 211,2.53

Maitland, Edw 211, 244

Malowansky, J 177, 188, 197, 205, 215, 244

468 INDEX.

Deijositions — Cou tinned. Page.

*Maloy, J 230, 253

Maudregin, N 188

Maroney, Pat 211, 215, 222, 253

Martin, Charles 211, 236, 253

Martin, W. E 138

Mason, Fred 225, 244

Mason, H 211, 244, 253

Mason, William 211, 222, 253

Matbasan. T 244, 253

Melovedotf, A 133, 178, 188, 189, 194, 198, 203

Melovidov, S 189, 194, 236

Mill, Amos 211, 254

Miner, E 211

Miner, G. E 230, 244

Moreau, Frank 211, 217, 225, 230. 244, 253

Morehead, Eddie 244

Morgan, T. F 109, 189, 194, 198, 202, 203, 212, 230

Morris, John . . 212, 254

Morris, M 236, 244

Morton, J. M 178

Moses 212, 222, 237, 254

Moss, M 167, 212, 217

Moulton, J. H 181, 198

Mowatt, Thomas 166

Murray, Joseph 131,190

Nashtau 205, 237, 244, 254

Natch, S 212, 237

Nathlan, Dan 212, 237. 244, 254

Nechantake 237

Neishkaith, J 237, 244, 254

Nelson, N 206. 222, 225, 230, 244, 254

Nettleton, S. R 190, 198

Newman, A 178

Niebaum, G 179, 181, 194, 198

Norris, Matthew , 217

Noyes, L. A 87. 179, 190

Nikla-ah 237, 244

O'Brien, John 212, 254

Oliver, N. T 212, 230, 244, 254

Olseu, John 212,222,225

Olsen, Peter 237

Osly 206.217,244

Otis, H. G 198

Parker, William 206, 222, 230, 232, 254

Peterson, Charles 168, 222, 226, 245, 254

Phelan, John J 201

Poland, H 139

Porter. E. P 168. 222, 230, 254

Porter, W 255

Ray, AVilliam P 128

Redpath, J. C 92, 171, 179. 190, 198, 222, 232

Hiee, George 139

Roberts, W 203, 212, 222, 245

Roudtus 245, 255

Ryan, A 206, 237. 245, 255

R y a n , T . F 199,223

Sayers, A 217, 230

Scribner, B. F 181, 199

Shepard, L. G 169, 202, 212, 245

Short, William 212. 255

Showoosch 226

Shmky, Jack 212, 237, 245

Shyha, A 237

Simes, Peter 206,255

Simson, A 255

Singay; M 213, 237

Sitkar Jack 213. 237, 245, 255

Skowl, Thomas 213. 237, 245, 255

skultka, G 238, 245, 255

IXDEX. 409

DepositioDS — Contiiiui'tl. Pagt-

>Sloaii, James '. 223. 230,

oo

Sloss. Lfou 179, 191, i95, 255

Smith, Fred 213. 223, 245, 255

Smith, J. W 217,245

Smith, William H 213

Soron, E. W 245, 255

Stamp. AV. C. B 139

Stanlev-P,rown, ,1 113. 175. 180, 182, 192, 19.">

Stephens, Cyrus 213, 230, 255

Sternfels, R. H 133

Stickland, Joshua 213, 223, 245, 256

Sundvall, G 231

Swain, J. A 206, 256

Swan, James G Ill

Tanner, Captain 173

Tanner, Z.L 191,203

Taylor, W. B 17:', 199

Teichmann, E 140,204

Temple, G. H 195

Thomas, W 213, 231, 245

Thompson, A. W 206, 217

Thlkahdayuahkee, M 204, 238, 245, 256

Tlaksatan, C 206, 238, 245, 256

Tolman, J. C 179, 213, 226. 245

Treadwell, G. H 134

Trearsheit, P 213,246

Tu ttle, F 191, 226

Twongkwak 238

Tysum, John 213, 215. 223, 238

Ullmau, S 134

Unatajim, J 204, 213, 238, 246, 256

Usher, George 213, 246, 256

Ver beke, F 238

Wagner, C. T 134, 180, 213

Walton, R 204. 213, 231, 246, 256

Wank, Charl ie 204, 238, 246

Washburn, M. L 180,206,256

Wasserman, E 213

Watkius 238, 256

Webster, Daniel 103, 180, 191, 199, 223, 226

Weckenunesch 238

Weittenhiller, P. S 204, 214, 231, 256

AVhite, Charley 215, 217, 238, 256

White, M 170, 214, 226, 231, 233, 246, 256

Wiepert, William 134

Williams, Billy 214, 238, 257

Williams, C. A 135,180

Williams, Jos. D 135,136

Williams, T. T 136, 204. 214, 2115. 217, 218, 219, 223

Williams, AV. H 130, 180, 192, 223

Wilson, Fred 214, 238, 246, 257

Windmiller, M 135, 136

Wispoo 215,238,257

Woodruff, J 223, 246

AYooskoot. M 238,246

Yahkah 239

Yeltachy, B 214, 246. 257

Yethnow, H 214, 239, 246, 257

Yohansen, A 214,246

Young, P 214. 239, 246, 257

Young, W 214.239,246

Yull a, H 239, 257

Zammett, G 246

Zolnoks, Thomas 214,215,239,257

Diplomacy and pelagic sealing 59

Disorganization of rookeries 123

Distances from Cape Fox to salmon canneries 423, 457

Drives of seals, number of, 1871-1878 57

Driving and killing seals, manner of 90

470 INDEX.

Duncan, Arthur L., statement. .1 433

Duncan, W., letter to special agent 447

-Edwards, Alphonse M., preservation of seal life 42

Emmies of the salmon 387

England, Bund's law relating to salmon fisberies 430

Eulachon (caudle-fisb) 390

Experts, opinions of, on pelagic sealing 173

Facts of pelagic sealing 279

Faircbild, C. >S., Acting Hecretary of the Treasury, instructions 291

Favorite, seizure of ' 325-327, 329, 330, 337

Female seals, destruction of 199, 219, 223, 247

Fisheries, halibut 389

Fisheries, salmon :

Alaska, reports on 385-459

Alien labor 388

Barricades and obstructions 385

Breeding grounds 400

Bund's law, England and Wales 430

Hatcheries 386,397

Karluk River, decrease of 410

Karluk Eiver, suggestions for protection 410

Law for protection of 424

Law of Scotland relating to 429

Laws, suggested, for iirotection of 403, 411, 412, 459

Natives debarred from tisbing 409

Obstructions in rivers 425

Oregon statutes 427

Origin and development of 424

Pack, 1866-1895 458

Pack, 1883-1890 425

Pack, 1889-1893 419

Pack, 1892 387,393

Pack, 1894 421

Pack, 1895 455,458

Pack, Pacific Coast, 1866-1895 458

Packers, notice to 391

Packing stations, Alaska 423, 457

Protection of 391, 410-418

Fishing industries 389

Fleet, sealing, increase of , 231

Food of natives 92

Food of seals 52

Foster, Charles, Secretary of the Treasury, letter transmitting report to

Department of State 302

Foxes, destruction of 442

Fur companicB, lules of 92

Fur seal, northern, and its relation to the seal-skin industry 277

Furriers :

American, testimony of, regarding destruction of female seals 131-137

British, testimony of, regarding destruction of female seals 137-152

Game-fowl eggs, alleged destruction of 440

Giglioli, Henry H., preservation of seal life 44

Gough, Hugh) British charg6 d'atiaires, correspondence relating to pelagic

sealing 339

Government of Alaska, recommendations for 452

Government le venue derived from seals 278

Governmental Depiirtmeuts, correspondence on pelagic sealing 315-382

Great Britain, seal -skin industry in 141-152

Grebnitzky, Nicholas A., seal life on Commander Islands 36

Grounds :

Breeding, salmon 400

Hauling, location of 124

Growth of pelagic sealing 73

Habits of natives 398

Habits of seals 84, 87, 89, 93. 279

Halibut tisheries 389

Hamlin, C. S., Acting Secretary of the Treasury, correspondence relating to

pelagic sealing 316, 335, 338, 343, 3 47, 352, 369, 370, 376, 377, 379, 381

Hardie, John, correspondence relating to pelagic sealing 341

INDEX.

471

Harems: ^"f^.

Description of 1^-*

Dissolution of ^

Si/e of 5, 86, 110

Hartlaub, G., preservation of seal life **

Hatcheries, salmon ^°"

Hauling grounds : ^

Location of ^t;^

Misapprehension as to names of 2o8

Herd visits only place of birth .* ^ 1-5 -

Herds, cause of decrease of 11, 1*5. 300

Herring fisheries of Alaska, statistics 396

HoUnschickie, or bachelor seals 123, 309

Holub, Emil, preservation of seal life 48

Hume, R. D., protection of salmon fisheries 4^17

Hunters :

Indian, opinions of, on decrease of seals ^3o

White, opinions of, on decrease of seals 226

Huxley, T. H., statement regarding seal life 49

Indian hunters, opinions of, on decrease of seals 233

Industries, fishing 389

Instructions to British Bering Sea commissioners 66

International action suggested by British Bering Sea commissioners 64

James Hamilton Lewis, sealing vessel 202

Jordan, David Starr 461

Karluk Eiver :

Canneries 405

Fisheries, suggestions for protection 410

Salmon, decrease of 410

Kelley, W, A., United States Commissioner, letter to siiecial agent 451

Killing grounds, driving seals to ^ 124

Labor, alien, in salmon canneries 338

Libel of schooner Thornton 291

Liebes, H., correspondence relating to pelagic sealing 355

Life, seal, waste of 126

Lilljeborg, Wilhelm, preservation of seal life 47

Liquor selling 438

Liquors cleared for Alaska 453

List of British vessels seized 292

London, seal-skins dyed and sold in 147-152

Louis Olsen (schooner), cruise of, in Bering Sea 152

Liittrell, Paul S., special agent, report on salmon fisheries of Alaslca 397

McDonald, Marshall, extracts from report on salmon fisheries 424

McGee, John J., correspondence relating to pelagic sealing 339

Mclntyre, H. H., superintendent Alaska Commercial Company :

Decrease of seals 300

Management of rookeries 294

Male life, lack of, not cause of decrease of seals 18

Management of rookeries not cause of decrease of seals - . 192

Manner of driving and killing seals 90

Merriam, C. Hart (Dr.), letter to naturalists 39

Method of driving and killing seals 8

Methods of giving efi'ect to suggested regulations of British Bering Sea com-
missioners 63

Methods of regulation, alternative, suggested by British Boring Sea commis-
sioners 63

Middendorft", A. V., preservation of seal life 47

Migration of the seal herd 124

Milne, A. R., correspondence relating to pelagic sealing 342, 362, 372

Morgan, John T. (Senator), extract from opinion of 77

Movements of female seals 115

Murray, Joseph, special agent, reports, etc 3, 404, 413, 436, 461-462

Naknek River, Alaska, conditions on 432

Names of American sealing vessels 164, 294

Names of Canadian sealing vessels 294

Names of rookeries, misapprehension of 258

Natives :

Customs of 398, 399

Food of 92

Habits of 398

472 INDEX.

Natives — Continued. Page.

Not allowod to fish for salmon 409

Occupations of 398

Naturalists, siatements of, on preservation of seal life:

Berg, Carlos 43

Blanchard, EaphtieL. 46

Collett, Robert « 44

Edwards, Alphonse M 42

Giglioli, Henry H , 44

Hartlaub, G 44

Holub, Emil . 48

Huxley, T. H 49

Lill jeborg, Wilbelm 47

Middendorif, A. V 47

Nebring, Alfred 43

Salvador!, Tommasso 43

Sclater, Philip Lutley 51

Townseiid,C. H 51

Yon Schrenck, Leopold 44

Nebring, Alfred, i)reservation of seal life 43

Nettleton, A. B., Acting Secretary of the Treasury, instructions 391

Northwest Coast and Victoria skins marketed, 18S1-1889 161

Obstructions and barricades in salmon iisberies 385

Occupations of natives 398

Olney, Ei chard, Secretary of State, correspondence relating to pelagic sealing. .335,

349, 350, 352, 354, 358, 359, 361, 366, 367, 371, 380, 381

Onward, sealing vessel 202

Opinions of experts on pelagic sealing 173

Oregon statutes for protection of salmon fisheries 427

Outlaws 442

Pacific Coast salmon pack, 1866-1895 458

Packers, notice to 391

Packing stations in Alaska 423,457

Paris award area, number of skius taken within, 1890-1894 321

Paris regulations do not protect seals 80

Paris Tribunal of Arbitration 280

American position 281

Argument of E. .1. Phelps 303

Award of 286

British position , 282

Decision of 282

Declarations of, referred to Governments of United States and (ireat

Britain 293

Extracts from argument of American counsel on pelagic sealing 75

Regulations of 28.3,289

Past and future of the fur seal 276

Pauncefote, Julian, ambassador, correspondence relating to ])elagic sealing. .. 366,

371.. 380, 381

Pedersou, L. A., conditions on N.aknek River, Alaska 432

Pelagic sealing:

Adee, Alvey A., Assistant Secretary of State, correspondence 339, 345

Bayard, T. F., ambassador, correspondence 335

Brice, J. .T.. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, correspondence 369

British Bering Sea Commissioners, suggestions favor , 65

Carlisle, .J. G., Secretarv of the Treasury, correspondence 315-336, 351, 354

Catch, 1868-1894 . . . , 27

Catch, 1872-1891 41

Catch, 1890-1894 73

Catch, 1891-1895 445

Catch, 1893-1894 324

Catch of British sealers, 1895 361

Cause of diminution of herds 11,16,41,95,98,113,278

Correspondence of Governmental departments on 31,5-382

Costigau, John, correspondence 340, 361

Curtis, W. E., Acting Secretary of the Treasury, correspondence 348

Extracts from argument of American counsel before the tribunal of arbi

tration on results of 75

Facts of 279

Female seals, destruction of 199, 219, 223, 247

Growth of 73, 125

Gough. Hugh, correspondence , .,...,.. 339

INDEX. 473

Pelagic sealing — Continued. * I'agc.

Hamlin. C. i*^.. Acting Scci ctarv oi' tlio 'i'r<'asiirv. correHixmdeucf 31(3,

:'.:>;'), 338, 343, 347, 352, 36'J, 370. 376. 377, 379, 381

Hardie, Joliu, cuiTn.spondouce 341

Increase of, in Russian and Japanese waters 332

Liebes, H., correspondence 355

McGee, John J., correspondence 339

Manner of 125

Milne, A. R., correspondence 342, 362, 372

Olnev, Richard, Secretary of State, correspondence 335,

349, 350, 352, 354, 358, 359. 3(21, 366, 367, 371. 380, 381

Opinions of Indian sealers on decrease of seals by 233

Opinions of sealers regarding protection from 76

Opinions of white sealers on decrease of seals by 226

Pauncefote, Julian, ambassador, correspondence 366, 371, 380, 381

Percentage of seals lust by 216

Resultsof 239

Roberts, W. P.. United States consul, correspondence 329

Seals, percentage lost of those struck by hunters 206

Skins sold as result of, 1872-1891.. --_. 231

Sole cause of decrease of seals, opinions of experts , 173

Sole cause of deci-ease of seals, opinions of Indian hunters 233

Somow, A., Russian charge d'affaires, correspondence 345, 346

Stanley-Brown, J., correspondence 360

Uhl, Edwin F., Acting Secretary of State, correspondence 328

Wike, S., Acting Secretary of the Treasury, correspondence 338

348, 349, 352, 355, 357, 358, 359, 360, 365, 368

Pelagic sealing and diplomacy ^ 59

Percentage lost of seals struck by pelagic hunters 206

Persons engaged in the fabrication of seal-skins in London 147

Phelps, E. J .. argument before the Paris tribunal 303

Plans suggested for preservation of seals 299

Potlatch 399

Pracht, Max, special agent, report on salmon 6sherie8 of Alaska 385

Pribilof Islands. (<SW' also St. Paul Island, St. George Island.)

Climatic conditions 4. 88, 120

Geographical situation 3, 88

Meteorological 88

Origin ^

Otter 3

St. George 3

St. Paul 3

Seals .. ^

Seals on, in 1873 15

Skius, seal, decrease in size of 165

Statistics, official, of seals taken, 1890-1894 73

Statistics, official, of seals taken for all purposes by Alaska Commercial

Company 258-274

Temperature, average 4

Walrus 3

Prices of seal skius, average, 1881-1889 , 163

Prices of skins taken at sea 28 1

Protection of salmon fisheries ■ 410-418

Pups:

Characteristics of 122

Dead, on islands, statement of British Bering Sea commissioners 23

Dead, on rookeries 11,31,32,83,100,101,109,118

Dead, time of appearance on rookeries 31

Learning to swim 122

Starvation of 11, 34, 83

Raids on rookeries not cause of decrease of seals 195

Reasons why pregnant females are taken 202

Recommendations for preservation of seals 81

Reeve, F. A., Acting Solicitor of the Treasury, opinion regarding aliens con-
trolling fisheries • - 395

Regulation, alternative method of, suggested by British Bering Sea connnis-

63

sioners .

Regulations:

Paris, do not protect seals 80

Proposed, by Bering Sea commissioners 62

474 INDEX.

Regulations — Continued: Page.

iSiisgested, ollSritish Bering Sea commissioners, methods of giving effect to. 63
Tribunal of Arhitration, failure of 75

Resorts of seals 277

Revenue derived by the Government from seals 278

Roberts, W. P., United States consul, correspondence relating to pelagic sealing. 329

Rookeries :

Age of seals on 122

Arrival of seals on 121

Bulls, fasting of, on 121

Causes of decrease of seals on 41

Disorganization of 123

Habits of seals on 89

JManageniont of 294

Management of, not cause of decrease of seals 192

Misapprehension as to names of 258

Organization of 122

Pups, dead, not found on, prior to 1884 32

Pups, dead, on 11,31,32,83,100,101,109,118

Raids on, not cause of decrease of seals 195

Rules of fur companies , 92

St. George Island :

Area 4

Geographical situation , 88

Seals, number taken for skins by Alaska Commercial Company, 1870-1889. 72

Seals, number taken on, 1895 453

Seals, oflicial statistics of number taken for all pnrposes by Alaska Com-
mercial Company 268-274

St. Paul Island :

Area 3

Geographical situation 88

Rookeries, number of seals on, 1891 15

Seals, number taken for skins by Alaska Commercial Company, 1870-1889. 72

Seals, number taken on, 1895 452

Seals, official statistics of number taken for all purposes by Alaska Com-
mercial Company 258-268

Salmon :

Breeding grounds 400

Canning companies, names of 393, 419, 421

Enemies of 387

Salmon canneries :

Distances from Cape Fox to 423, 457

Karl uk River 405

Location of 393, 419, 421

Names of 393, 419, 42 1

Tin used in, cost of 423

Salmon fisheries 445

Alaska, reports on 385-459

Alien labor 388

Barricades and obstructions 385

Breeding giounds 400

Bund's law, England and Wales 430

Hatcheries 386, .397

Karluk River, decrease 410

Karluk River, suggestions for protection 410

Law for protection of 424

Law of Scotland relating to 429

Laws, suggested, for protection of 403, 411, 412, 459

Natives debarred from fishing 409

Obstructions in ri vers - 425

Oregon statn tes _ 427

Origin and development of 424

Pack, 1866-1895 458

Pack, 1883-1890 425

Pack, 1889-1893 419

Pack, 1892 387, 393

Pack, 1894 421

Pack, 1895 455, 458

Pack, Pacific Coast, 1866-1895 458

INDEX. 475

Salmon fislieries— Continued. Page.

Packers, notice to 391

Packing stations, Alaska 423, 457

Protection of 391, 410-418

Salmon lisliing, natives debarred from 409

Salmon hatcheries 386, 397

Salmon, prices of, in San Francisco 446

Salvadori, Tommasso, preservation of seal life 43

San Diego, sealing vessel 201

San Francisco :

Prices of salmon in 446

Principal market for salmon 446

Sclater, I'liilip Lutley, statement regarding seal life 51

Scotland, law of, relating to salmon lisheries 429

Sea otter, destruction of 442

Seal Islands. {Sec also Pribilof Islands.)

Arrival of seals on 5

Climjitic conditions 88

Counsel, American, remarks of, regarding management of 67

Dead pups on, statemeut of British Bering Sea commissioners 23

Geographical situation 88

Meteorological 88

Seal life, vraste of 126

Sealers :

British, catch of, in 1895 361

Classification of 9

Indian, opinions of, on decrease of seals 233

Opinions of, regarding protection from pelagic sealing 76

White, opinions of, on decrease of seals 226

Sealing fleet :

American, vessels composing 164, 294

Canadian, vessels composing 294

Increase of 231

Sealing, pelagic. (See Pelagic sealing.)

Sealing venture, estimated cost of 162

Sealing vessels, valuation of 162

Seals :

Age of, on rookeries 122

Alaska herd, decrease of 180

Arrival of, on rookeries 121

Barren females 123

Cause of decrease of 11, 16, 41, 95, 98, 113, 278

Characteristics of 6, 39, 276

Commander Islands 36

Decrease of, lack of male life not tlie cause 18

Decrease of, opinions of white and Indian sealers 226, 233

Decrease of, pelagic sealing the sole cause of, opinions of experts 173

Departure of, from islands 124

Description of 6

Destruction of, by pelagic sealing 11, 16, 41. 95, 98, 113, 278

Docility of 308

Driving and killing 8, 124

Fasting of bulls on rookeries , 121

Female, destruction of 131-152, 199, 223, 247

Female, loss of, British and American testimony 165-173

Food of .' 52

Fur of 443

Habits of 84, 87, 89, 93, 113, 279

Harems, description of 114

Harems, dissolution of 5

Harems, size of 5, 86, 110

Ilolluschickie, or bachelor seals 123, 309

Killing of, performed under supervision of Government agents 108

Management of rookeries not cause of deci'ease of 192

Manner of driving and killing 90

Migration of the herd 124

Migratory course of 298

Movements of females 115

Northern 277

Northern, cause of destruction of 278

470 INDEX.

Seals— Continued. Page.

Number t;ikon by pelajiic sealers, 1868-1894 27

Number taken lov all purposes by Alaska Commercial Company 2.^8-271

Number taken lor skins by Alaska Commercial Company, 1870-1889 72

Number taken on Islands, 1895 452

Nursing females, destruction of 219

Paris regulations do not protect 80

Past and future of 276

Pelagic catch, 1891-1895 445

Pelagic sealing cause of diminution of 95, 98

Percentage lost of those struck by pelagic hunters 206

Percentage of lost, statements by pelagic sealers 216

Place of birth, return of herd to 125

Plans, suggested, lor preservation of 299

Raids on rookeries not cause of decrease of 195

Reason why pregnant females are taken 202

Recommendations suggested for preservation of herd 81

Resorts of 277

Results of indiscriminate slaughter 239

Revenue of Government derived from 278

Rookeries, causes of depletion of 41

Southern, destruction of 276

Swimming powers of 123

Visit only the place of birth 125

Weight and size f>f 124

Wounding of 214

Young, learning to swim 122

Seal-skin industry :

Importance of 278

Its relation to the northern fur 8(>al 277

Seal-skins:

Average prices, 1881-1889 163

Decrease in size of 165

Fabrication of, number of persons engaged in 147

Sold and dved in London, stalistics of 147-152

Shelby, seizure of 327, 328

Size and weight of seals 124

Size of seal skins, decrease in 165

Skins :

Number marketed, 1881-1889 161

Number sold and dressed in London, 1868-1889 164

Number sidd and dyed in London 147-152

Number sold, result of pelagic sealing, 1872-1891 231

Number taken within Paris award area, 1890-1894 321

Prices of, taken at sea 284

Smuggling 438

Somow, A., correspondence relating to pelagic sealing 345,346

Sp.aulding, O. L., Acting Secretary of the Treasury, instructions 395

Stanley-Brown, J. :

Correspondence relating to pelagic sealing 360

Past and future of the fur seal 276

Statistics of London trade in seal-skins 147-152

Statistics, official, of seals taken for all purposes bv Alaska Commercial Com-
pany -' 2.58-274

Streams, salmcni, held by aliens 388

Suggestions of British Bering Sea commissioners favor pelagic sealers 65

Swimming powers of seals 123

Testimony, British .and American, respecting loss of female seals 165-173

Thornton (schoone)), libel of 291

Tin used in canning, cost ^f 423

Townsend, ('. II., statement regarding seal life 51

Treasury Department, correspondence with other Departments on pelagic

sealing 315-382

I^hl, Edwin F., Acting Secretary of State, correspondence relating to pelagic

sealing 328

United States, demonstration of propositions of 77

Vessels, British, seized, 1886-1890, list of 292

Vessels, sealing, American, names of 164, 294

Vessels, sealing, valuation of 162

INDEX. 47

Vessels, seizure of": i'age.

Angel Dolly 100, 202

Beatrice 380,381

Black Diamond 299

Favorite 325-327, 329-330, 337

Henrietta 84

Sau Diego 201, 296

Shelby 327,328

Wanderer 325-330, 337

Victoria and Northwest Coast skins marketed, 1881-lSSit 161

Von Schreuck, Leopold, preservation of seal life 44

Wales, Bund's law relating to salmon fisheries 430

Wanderer, seizure of 325-330, 337

Waste of seal life 126

Wike, S., Acting Secretary of the Treasury, correspondence relating to pelagic

sealing -^ 338, 348, 349, 352, 355. 357, 358. 359, 360, 365, 368

Wounding of seals 214

O